


The Lord of the Ocean

by ElevatorAction13



Category: Hellsing
Genre: AAxEM, Anal Sex, Ass Play, Blow Jobs, M/M, MerMay, MerMay 2020, Rimming, mermay au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:13:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 25,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24375592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElevatorAction13/pseuds/ElevatorAction13
Summary: Enrico Maxwell is a young marine biologist professor who has spent his whole life dedicated to orca whales. One day when out on the first day of a new field season, he meets an exceptionally friendly orca who takes an interest in the young professor. Soon Enrico will find out that there is much more to this animal than meets the eye. Hellsing MerMay AU.
Relationships: Alexander Anderson/Enrico Maxwell
Comments: 5
Kudos: 10





	1. A Bond between Worlds

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Here's the first installment of my first ever MerMay contribution! Just a few notes, I know orcas are technically not whales but since they're so colloquially referred to as whales that's the main thing they're called in this story. Also, the real "mermaid"-ness takes place next chapter, but this one has some cool stuff in it as well.  
> Enjoy and thanks in advance for reading!

“So, are you all set then Heinkel?”

“Yeah, everything is looking good up here.”

It was the first day of the field season. Down at the research station docks, Dr. Enrico Maxwell and his newest graduate student Heinkel Wolfe were getting ready to set off for the day. Their boat, emblazoned with the insignia of the University of Washington, rocked gently with the calm morning waves. Seagulls circled overhead, screaming and hovering around the two people on the boat, hoping for scraps. Seals barked in the distance as they lounged on the shoreline. The sky was blue and the wind mild, a picturesque day to be out on the Puget Sound. 

Heinkel was checking over the boat one last time while Dr. Maxwell checked his field laptop once more, looking at the transmitter data. The dots and lines on the complex map he had made told him that his beloved pod of orca whales had indeed returned to the sound. 

“Perfect.” Bristling with excitement he shut his laptop and secured it away, then swung inside the boat console where Heinkel was stationed. 

“Isn’t it amazing? Five years, I’ve followed this pod for five years and they always come back here.”

“I know Maxwell, I’ve read all your papers.” Heinkel asked, leaning against the console with her arms crossed over her chest. “How many calves you think they’ll have this year?”

“I hope many, last year there was only one.”

The two had a rather casual relationship for a student/mentor arrangement. Mostly, it was due to the closeness of their age. At only 29 Enrico Maxwell not only secured his PhD in Marine Biology, but had multiple published papers under his name and a position as a teacher and researcher at the University of Washington. Heinkel Wolfe was 27, only 2 years his junior, so that combined with the way they seemed to click socially made for a very informal relationship. 

Turning on the GPS, Enrico set it to navigate to the coordinates where the pod should be located, give or take. Most of these first few outings were just to get used to the movements of the animals and determine their common haunts. 

“So, we good?” Heinkel asked, moving out of the way to let Maxwell take the controls.

“Yes, okay, let’s get out there.” 

The engine rumbled to life, scattering the few seagulls that had settled on the back of the boat. Heinkel undid the ropes tying the boat to the dock then took a seat on one of the topside seats and flipped her sunglasses down over her eyes. The console cabin was sheltered but the student much preferred to feel the wind whipping her hair as they ripped over the waves.

Enrico zipped his windbreaker up, put on his sunglasses, and pushed the throttle forward. The boat kicked and lurched forward, idling out of the docks and into deeper waters, where they tore off at full speed. 

The ride was relatively smooth by pacific northwest standards. Constantly checking the GPS, Enrico drove the boat out to a spot where according to the transmitters he had placed on a few of the pod members years ago, the pod should be frequenting now. Slowing the vessel, the boat fell off plane and sank back into the water, the crash of their wake splashing outwards from their boat. He took off his glasses and grabbed his binoculars. 

“They should be here.” He said, one hand on the steering wheel as he scanned the horizon. 

“That or your transmitters are trash.” 

“Oh don’t even joke about that, it took forever to get the funding for those.” He sighed in frustration at the quiet, orca-less waters. “See anything?”

“Geez Maxwell relax, we just got here.” Heinkel was looking through her binoculars at the open water. “I’m sure they all are just as excited to see the weird man that sticks weird computers on their backs.”

“You’re joking, but you’re not too far off from the truth.” 

Enrico lowered his binoculars and went to get out his laptop. Sitting down where Heinkel had been, he loaded up his tracking program and went over the data. Weird, according to the map they all should be nearby. 

“I swear, if these transmitters are acting up I’m going to raise hell. I don’t have time for this.”

“Sure it’s not your computer?” Heinkel called out from the front of the boat. 

“Absolutely not. My code is solid.” 

After a few more minutes of fruitlessly poking at his maps Enrico got up and turned the boat’s engine back on. He took a sip from his tumbler full of coffee.

“I’m going to cruise around, keep a look out would you?” 

“Yep.” Heinkel held onto the side rail as the boat lurched back into motion. 

Enrico steered the boat around for a solid 10 minutes. Confused and increasingly agitated, he was starting to come to accept that the technology he had spent so much time getting funded and all that money procuring must be on the fritz. If this was the case then the research season would end up being severely delayed, or maybe even canceled. 

“Son of a bitch.” He cursed under his breath. His laptop was now balanced on top of the console so Enrico could check it almost every second. 

“I still got nothing Maxwell.”

“Yes, I know.” He was almost about to give up on this spot and start the tedious process of scanning the entire sound, when suddenly the ship was viciously slammed from the side. 

“Fuck!” Heinkel cried out as she tumbled to the floor. Enrico had managed to hang onto the console but his legs had been knocked out from under him. 

“Jesus! Maxwell! What was that?”

He didn’t have the chance to answer when another violent slam rocked their boat again. 

Whatever was striking them had to be enormous. The research ship was comprised of three levels, one below deck living level, a main deck, and a top-observation and driving deck where they were currently standing. Enrico at least hoped it was an animal and not some type of unknown mine. 

“Stay down Heinkel!” Enrico pulled himself back up to his feet and staying low, carefully made his way down the stairs and over to the port side of the ship. He looked over the edge, and his breath caught in his throat. 

“My God.”

Right beneath their boat was the largest Orca whale he had ever seen. Their research vessel was 46 feet long, an average orca up to 32 feet, and yet the individual lurking right beside them was longer than their ship!

“Fuck me.” Enrico whispered, in complete awe and reverence of the beast. “Heinkel, as strange as it is an orca is attacking us.”

“What?” Heinkel yelled. “Bullshit! They never do that!”

“This one is!” He waved a hand wildly behind him up at his student. “Get the camera! Try to get this on tape, this one is enormous!” 

Quickly retreating into the center console area, Heinkel reemerged with a field camera and ran down the stairs to join her mentor, pointing it to where Enrico was focused. 

“No way.” She was equally as stunned as Enrico at the massive creature. The orca seemed to take notice of them, floating to the top of the water and blowing a jet of water out of it’s blowhole as it lifted its head out of the water to look at them. 

Enrico met the animal’s gaze, feeling a strong sense that he was being analyzed by the creatures deep green eyes. Now they were so close, Enrico could see that the animal was deeply scarred all over, old gashes, pierce wounds, and teeth marks littered its massive body. Most distinctive of all was a long, light-colored, slash-like scar right behind one of its eyes. 

“Do you know this one?” Heinkel asked quietly, keeping the camera on the beast. 

“No.” Enrico answered, voice soft with quiet reverence for the orca staring him down. “No I’ve never seen this one before, but my God what a sublime creature.” 

The whale, almost like he understood the words Enrico was saying, parted its mouth and barred the rows of knife-like teeth lining its mouth in what struck Enrico as a facsimile of a human grin. Sated, the whale sank back down into the water, disappearing into the deep.

“Damn, Heinkel hold on, I don’t know if it’s going to ram us again.” Enrico said, bracing himself on the ship’s guard rail. Heinkel did the same, but kept the camera running.

Yet the attack never came. Instead, like a signal had been given, the entire missing pod of orcas they had been searching for emerged all around them, dozens of misty plumes shooting out as the animals let out their collective long held breath.

Enrico heart leapt with joy. “Finally! Look Heinkel look!” 

“I’m looking!” 

The pod was around 50 individuals. As they swam near the surface, Enrico made out the color tagged individuals to Heinkel. There was Dora, the oldest breeding female with a red marked transmitter, Sasha, a young female with a yellow tag, Antonio, a male with a blue tag, Catherine another older female with a purple tag, and so on. There were about 12 marked members of the pod in total, and all of them, tagged or no, were dear and precious to Enrico’s heart. 

With the drama over, the orcas seemed to be relaxed, swimming around the area and coming towards the boat, curiously checking out the vessel. The large orca from before was for the moment absent.

“Wow you weren’t kidding Maxwell. This is a pretty large pod.”

“Yes, ahhhh how happy I am to see them all again. Look! Look at the calves! Oh there must be at least five! Get the counter, we need to start keeping track.”

“On it.”

Perched back on the higher deck, Enrico and Heinkel had a bird’s eye view of the entire pod. The time away had been kind to the pod; 6 new calves and all the members had survived. A blessing in this cruel and dangerous world. Eventually, even the massive orca from before came to the surface again, the pod parting for it as it swam back towards the boat.

“We got company on starboard.” Heinkel said, alerting Enrico to the orca’s re-appearance. 

The animal swam up close to the side and stopped, hanging in the water by the ship. Enrico put down his equipment.

“I’m going to check this out.” He said, starting to descend the stairs to the bottom deck. 

Heinkel was reasonably concerned. “Hey wait! Maxwell!”

“I’ll be fine.” He waved off her concerns. “They’ve all calmed down.”

Down on the bottom deck, Enrico leaned over the rail to gaze upon the form of this new pod member. The animal was a wild sight with all its marks and its enormous size. How old was this orca? How long had it traveled the world’s oceans? He couldn’t help but wonder about the stories this creature could tell, if only he could decipher their language. 

Reaching into a coat pocket, Enrico pulled out a small waterproof field notebook, and started taking a rough sketch. There were pictures and video, true, but he always found that etching out a creature’s likeness on paper made him feel more connected. 

“What should I call you?” He mused, working on making the shape of the scar mark on his portrait just right. “I’ll have to name you something if you’re going to be part of this group. Did you know that before you joined? That a human man was making his living essentially stalking you all?” He chuckled to himself. To his great surprise, the orca lifted its massive head out of the water once more, just looking at the man on the boat. 

“Whoah, you a whale whisperer or something?” Heinkel called down from the top deck as she leaned over the rail. “It really seems to be interested in you.”

“I know, it’s very peculiar.” Finished with his sketch, on a whim he turned the notebook around and showed it to the whale. “What do you think? Did I do a decent job of it?”

The orca made a high-pitched squeak in response, thoroughly startling the scientist. 

“Oh! Okay, I suppose that’s good. I’m glad you like it.” Enrico said, not quite sure what to make of this strange individual. Before he could follow up anymore, the orca made what looked to be a nod and sank back down and swam off, going to join a group of young adolescents that were playing together.

Heinkel came down the stairs, her footsteps banging against the metal rungs. 

“So that was wild.” She said, coming up from behind her mentor. “That happen often?”

“No, never.” His heart was pounding in his chest. He knew more than anyone how intelligent orcas were, but for a completely wild, new individual to be so, almost human-like, well it was undocumented. 

“Do you think it thought we were a threat before?” Heinkel asked, her eyes focused on Dora as she nursed her calf. 

“Yes, and it tried to fight us off. How spectacular, I’ve never heard of them doing that before, even to whalers.” Turning around, he grinned and clapped his hands together. “Heinkel Wolfe today we have had the privilege of witnessing something truly special! If this isn’t a good omen for this field season then I don’t know what is!” 

The rest of the day was spent following the pod around and taking notes on their activities and interpersonal dynamics. Enrico was drawn like a magnet to the new individual; a bull he assumed, from the size of it. Male orcas were on average larger than females after all. When the bull wasn’t entertaining the playful antics of the younger pod members, he would disappear, only to re-appear on the periphery of the pod in what struck Enrico like a patrol. Again, novel behavior. 

They left the pod later on in the day and made the long trip back to the research station’s docks. 

“You know people pay tons of money on the regular just for the opportunity to see orcas.” Heinkel said, grinning at Maxwell as she hopped off the boat, her bag slung over her shoulder. “We on the other hand, get paid to play with them all say. We really have the best job in the world don’t we?”

Enrico let out a short laugh. “Maybe, but just wait until you have to send in your papers for review. “Peer review” is just an excuse for people to act like sharks.” He scoffed.

“Still sore about Dr. Hellsing giving you all that shit on your last publication?” Heinkel joined her mentor walking up back to the main building.

“Yes and rightfully so! Her comments were unnecessarily nit-picky!” He raved, face alight with ignited fury. “It was so transparent! Nothing to do about scientific integrity! Just spite!” 

“Hey, it passed right? Just get on whatever review board that gets her next paper and give her a taste of her own medicine.” Heinkel clapped a hand on his shoulder in commiseration. “Do all you big hot-shot researchers have such heated rivalries?”

“Oh yes, you should see us at conferences.”

“Ever throw hands?”

“Maybe I have, maybe I haven’t.”

“Holy shit Maxwell.”

Back in their office, they unloaded their gear and Enrico sat down to work on his computer. Heinkel’s phone buzzed and she picked it up.

“Hello? Yumiko! Hey!” 

Enrico started working on uploading their footage from today, trying not to be an eavesdropper but it was so hard when they were right in the damn room with you.

“Oh you’re going to be off tonight! Awesome! Hey I’m about done here-yeah? Yeah where sorry?” Heinkel leaned into her phone and covered her other ear with her hand, blocking out the non-existent noise in the quiet office. “No I haven’t been to that sushi place yet, yeah I want to go. Let me pick you up. Okay, okay see you soon, okay love you!”

“You know you can take your phone calls outside right?” Enrico chided, giving Heinkel a side-ways glance. 

“Yeah yeah, I’ll do that next time. Hey do you need me tonight?”

“No, I heard you on the phone.” Enrico smiled and gave her a nonchalant wave. “Go have fun Heinkel. Give Yumiko my regards. Enjoy your youth.”

“You’re only 29.”

“And I’ll be 30 next month!” Enrico lamented, grimacing at the reality of it. “Time is so cruel! I can already feel it in my bones!”

“Okay well I’d love to stay and comfort you, but my hot girlfriend is waiting for me.”

Yes yes! Go and abandon this old man!” He threw his head back in mock distress, back of his hand pressed against his forehead. “It’s already too late for me!” 

“Thank you Dr., your sacrifice will not be wasted.” Heinkel gave him a little salute before leaving. “See you tomorrow!” 

“Bright and early!” He called out after her. 

With his student gone he was left alone. The rest of the staff was already gone by this hour, probably home to their families. Enrico had no such distraction or obligation, so he had become rather notorious for staying late. 

Clicking on the video file of the bull orca from that day, he sat back in his chair and watched it play. He was a beautiful animal, absolutely sublime, a mixture of raw strength and powerful intelligence. The bull seemed to comprehend Enrico that day when they had interacted. Maybe he was an escaped trained whale? No, you can’t train for the interaction they had today. It was too raw and unscripted. Also he doubted any show would give their whales that many wounds, not because out of any sense of compassion, but because visually abused whale didn’t sell a crowd.

He couldn’t help but keep running through the video, then the pictures. Finally he tore himself away to type up his notes. Not surprisingly, most of them were about the bull.

“Really need to make a name for him.” He thought aloud, sipping from a mug of old office coffee. 

After some tedious data entry he was finished for the night. Rising up out of his chair he stretched out his stiff back and loudly sighed. Another day.

The drive home was long but relaxing. He easily cruised the long roads that led along the coast, far out from the city. Tires crunched the gravel driveway as Enrico pulled up to the front of his small but perfect home. Perched on a high cliff, Enrico lived right by the picturesque pacific. He would be paying this house off for a long time sure, but to hear the crash of waves from wherever he was in his own home was worth anything. That, and there was a path down to the beach below, rocky and filled with hidden coves and caves filled with sea-life. He practically was in his own world when he was home.

Locking his car, his walked out to look out over the ocean. The sun had just finished setting, painting the sky with embers of orange and red. The white tops of the ever-pulsing waves danced across the great expanse of dark water. His thoughts drifted to his beloved orca pod. Hopefully they were all settled down for the night, blissfully cruising while they slept, wrapped in the all-encompassing loving embrace of the sea. 

Enrico smiled. The ocean breeze tossed his loose long blonde hair and the salt spray tickled his nose, and in that moment, he felt a pure sense of peace. 

After soaking in the ocean for another minute he left and went to his front door. He unlatched the multiple locks and walked inside. Flicking the lights on he lit up his tastefully decorated home. Photos lined the walls. His past years, his present years, most of them on boats and or in the water. His degrees, his certifications, his awards, everything he had accomplished in his short time on earth. There was a photo of him, smiling as he affixed his first transmitter to the orca Dora, five years prior and looking much younger and fresher. He had worked hard and tirelessly his entire life to make something out of himself and a life out of his passions, and he had made it. There was no shame in displaying that. 

The evening was uneventful as he went through his normal after-work routine. He ate, he washed, he would read, maybe listen to some music, go over his work again, then go to bed. Sometimes he would feel the creeping tendrils of loneliness slithering around in his gut, but he had gotten used to it. He always did better alone, after all. People were, difficult. He was difficult. Past relationships had never worked out, his boyfriends either found him too strange or too selfish; too wrapped up in work they would say. Fights would happen all the time and he’d just end up being miserable. If being content in his own home meant suffering loneliness sometimes, then so be it. He had decided long ago a partner wasn’t worth his peace of mind and his work performance. There was too much he had to do. 

Sitting at his desk, he opened his personal computer and started a very special program. Hundreds of files of orca calls, their beautiful language, all organized and grouped together under different headings. “Greetings” “Names?” “Anger” “Joy”, etc. This program, this was Enrico’s true passion project. In it, he hoped to decipher the entirety of the orca whale language. He wished to literally, talk to whales. 

Over the years he had taken countless recordings with underwater devices. He had put cameras on whales, recorders, had just sat on a boat for hours and listened to the calls in real time. It plagued him! Here there were these animals, extremely intelligent, extremely social, so like humanity and yet we couldn’t communicate, couldn’t truly connect. Enrico would muse that orcas were like the counterpart to humanity only in the ocean instead on land. They had their own cultures, their own dialects, they passed knowledge and wisdom down generation to generation, if he could only decipher it! 

He knew, that if he could translate the orca tongue, then people could no longer pretend that they were inferior to them, could no longer pretend their suffering wasn’t real. He was going to make their existence tangible to the common man. No more sick whale shows, no more tearing calves away from their mothers and sticking them in pens. No more poaching. At least, he hoped. 

Reaching into a desk drawer, he pulled out a very old and very dear picture. It wasn’t displayed with the others, but that didn’t mean he was ashamed, it just meant he was careful.

In it, a young, 18 year old Enrico Maxwell stood in a group photo with about 30 others. The front members held out a banner proudly. “WDF” Whale Defense Force.  
He smiled fondly. Those were good years. Sure it might be called a “militant animal rights group” by most, but at least they did something. At least they tried. 

His years with them had been wild, and he didn’t regret them. He had battled with poachers all over the ocean, why, he still had the same rifle he had used then hanging over his desk. Shame they had to disband. The heat had gotten to be too much. One day their leader went missing and was never found. Everyone knew he was dead, it wasn’t even a question, everyone knew the risks of their mission. Still, it had spooked a lot of the members, and eventually, they just, drifted off. 

Enrico fondly ran his fingers over the edges of the photo, then placed it back in the desk drawer. 

The mission had never truly died in his heart.

He had just, found a new avenue of pursuing it.

Reaching down into his bag, he pulled out his sketchbook and flipped to the page from today. There he was, scar and all, the new nameless bull. He would have to find a frame for this sketch; it belonged above his desk with the multiple the sketches of importance. The oldest and roughest one portrayed the first time Enrico had worked with Dora, the mature female’s first impression on the younger student forever immortalized in graphite and aged paper and hanging above all others. 

Carefully, he took out a pair of scissors and cut out the new portrait and held it under the desk light. It was hard to really capture the size of the bull, even the haphazard normal sized orca he had drawn under it for scale didn’t really do the animal justice. Oh well, it was still a nice piece. 

He set the picture in the desk, alongside his old photo, and made a mental note to get a new frame. 

After some time preparing for the next day, Enrico treated himself to a glass of wine and went out to sit on his back porch. The loud sounds of waves greeted him as he opened the backdoor. Grabbing a chair, he flipped it around to face the ocean and sat down, finally letting himself fully relax to the chorus of the nighttime coast. 

There had been a couple a times where he had become so relaxed out here on his porch that he had dozed off, only to wake up hours later with dew on his face and a painfully stiff back. This was not one of those nights, and after he had finished his wine, he checked his watch, saw the time, and went inside to go to bed. 

The next morning was largely the same. Heinkel and Enrico went out but had to travel out of the sound and go out into the more remote coast. The pod had moved, probably hunting. 

“So, what’s the plan today?” Heinkel asked as Enrico slowed the boat down to idle speed. The pod was nearby, evidenced by the jets of water in the distance. 

Enrico grinned. “Today, you get to see just why I’ve been so successful studying these whales.” Stopping the boat and shutting it off, he went into a duffel bag, and pulled out a small, specialized underwater speaker that had a length of heavy chain tied around the handle. 

“Through years of work, I have developed enough knowledge of their language to create my own “greeting”.”

Heinkel looked at him, a bit dumbfounded. “I’m, sorry?”

Enrico sighed. “This speaker is connected to my laptop. We are going to drop it in the water, and play the recordings on it.”

“Oh so you’re just playing whale calls at them then? What’s special about that?”

“It’s special because I made these calls, well, through an audio program not literally-you get it.” Enrico took the speaker and his laptop and motioned for Heinkel to follow him down to the bottom deck. 

At the aft deck, Enrico hooked the end of the chain with a heavy carabineer to a ring on the railing and tossed the whole thing overboard. 

“What do you mean you made the calls?”

“Well it’s more of a mixture of previous recordings to create my own message. I’ve been using it for years. It plays what I hope is my name in their tongue, and a basic hello.”

“Really? Wow, shit Maxwell. That’s, why wasn’t this in any of your papers?”

Enrico turned and gave Heinkel a nod of acknowledgement. “Well, I am, justifiably cautious about releasing this kind of information into the world. It could be dangerous if I published the exact details, so I might have, artfully omitted some details.”

“Holy shit.” Heinkel grinned, absolutely pleased with this revelation. “You bad boy.”

“Look, don’t tell anyone. I’m only telling you this because I know you’d understand.”

“Oh yeah, no I get it.” Heinkel flashed a thumbs-up at him. “It’d be terrible if poachers got hold of a magic way to get whales to like them.”

“Yes but one day, nevermind.” He dropped the topic and opened the audio program on his laptop, and pressed play. 

The sounds that echoed through the water were inaudible to the two researchers, but for the orcas, it was a familiar call. It only took a couple of minutes for the pod to make their way over to the research boat. Dora popped up first, blowing a strong mist at the two humans. This is part of the reason they wore water-proof coats. 

“Hello Dora! You are as beautiful as ever.” Enrico smiled and reached down, stroking her tall dorsal fin. “Heinkel, go ahead, she loves it.”

“Whoah.” Carefully, Heinkel leaned over and tentatively touched the wild whale’s fin. “This is amazing.” 

“I know I know isn’t it wonderful!” Enrico was positively giddy. “I’m so glad they still respond! Honestly, all it takes is an older matriarch like Dora to accept me and anyone else follows along.” He leaned over and rubbed up and down the whale’s fin. “It’s always good to see you.” Enrico said to the whale, talking to her like the old friend she was. Dora squeaked in response, and swimming away to the back of the boat, lined herself up parallel, making the red tracker at the base of her dorsal fin easily accessible. Her calf had followed her, tucked against her side. 

“Hey wait, don’t we need more people for this or a net?” Heinkel started, but Enrico brushed past her and got down to the very back of the boat, balancing as the waves rocked them. He was dangerously close to the water here.

“It’s fine, that’s the beauty of my method. They know me. Come on.” 

Heinkel joined Enrico, nervous but fascinated. She watched as her professor checked the transmitter’s batteries, all while Dora patiently waited. 

“Good, this should last another month.” He jotted notes down on his datasheet. “The mount glue is still holding too, excellent. Heinkel, would you like to join?”

Enrico moved out of the way and motioned for Heinkel to take his space. After a moments hesitation, she did, getting down on her knees to balance. Dora lifted her head and made a squeak, but otherwise didn’t mind the new person checking her over. 

“Maxwell, you’re crazy.” She said, just admiring the creature. “You really do talk to whales don’t you?”

Enrico shrugged. “Barely, just enough to let them know who I am. Okay, let’s not keep her waiting then.”

Opening a large baitwell full of ice, Enrico pulled out a fish. 

“Thank you Dora, you’re done.” He tossed the fish to the whale, and it was caught expertly in her mouth. Dora then slid off into the water with her calf in tow. 

“Later on in the season I’ll try to tag the baby, but I don’t like taking things too fast. I’d hate to stress them.”

Soon after he said that Antonio, a marked male sidled up to the back of the boat and squeaked impatiently. He had seen the reward and now he wanted a piece. 

“All yours Heinkel. He’s spirited but he’s harmless.”

That was the routine for the rest of the marked whales. One would swim up, the transmitters would be checked, they’d get a reward, then swim off. If any unmarked individual tried to cheat their way in, Dora or another older marked member would chide them, nosing them out of the way. If Enrico could get the funding he’d tag all of them, but each one of the devices costed a small fortune. 

“I feel sort of bad not feeding the rest.” Heinkel remarked, giving the last whale a fish. 

“I know, but it’s fine. A pod of this size has no trouble hunting.” 

Enrico wiped his hands off on his pants and looked around. As the day had gone on he’d become increasingly worried over the bull from the day prior. “Thought he’d show himself by now.”

“The big guy?” Heinkel hopped back into the main body of the boat. “Same. Maybe something happened to him, or he got chased out.”

“I hope not.” Enrico said sadly. It would break his heart if something terrible had happened to an orca he had just had the privilege of meeting. 

Right then, just at the peak of Enrico’s anxieties, the mysterious bull appeared out of nowhere at the back of the boat and squealed. 

“There he is!” Heinkel pulled out her phone and started taking pictures. “We need to tag that guy.”

“I know, I’ll try to rush the funding. Hello again.” Enrico said quietly, moving back to the back of the boat. The bull’s enormous dorsal fin towered over the water, a sign of an extremely healthy individual. The orca didn’t position himself parallel like the others did, it waited, face out of the water, watching as Enrico approached. 

“I’m recording this!” Heinkel alerted Enrico, who responded with a wave. 

“I’m sorry, I don’t have any more fish. Or trackers. I don’t have anything for you actually.”

The orca squeaked, then let out a long squeal and lifted its chin up and waited. 

“Oh?” Enrico got closer, looking closely at the bared white neck. He at first wondered if there was something bothering the whale, a wound or a parasite, but he saw nothing. 

“Strange, I don’t know, what you’re doing, or what you want.”

The orca squeaked and splashed at the water with its fins, edging closer. 

At a loss, Enrico threw caution to the wind and reached out, and did the only thing he could come up with. He scratched the whale under the chin. 

His guess turned out to be exactly right, and the bull trilled with delight. Enrico could hear Heinkel laughing behind him and he didn’t blame her. This was insane.  
“There we go.” He couldn’t stop smiling as he scratched all under the whale’s chin. “You are the most handsome creature I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen quite a few.”  
The bull trilled again, then, finally sated, dropped his chin and gave Enrico a grateful squeak and swam off. 

“See you soon.” Enrico said, feeling a bit sad to see the orca go. 

For the rest of the day Heinkel could not stop gushing about Enrico and the orca. He didn’t blame her, he was rather in shock over it himself. The bull whale consumed his daytime thoughts, and when he finally fell asleep, his dreams. 

The week passed with more novel interactions. They would follow the pod, do some basic research, then every time the bull would appear and demand Enrico’s attention. He didn’t seem to mind Heinkel, but his body language made it quite apparent who he was really here to see. For some unexplainable reason, this bull orca had taken a fancy to the young professor. 

Enrico awoke on a bright and sunny Saturday morning. He knew before he even checked the weather that today would be a perfect day to go out boating. As he gathered his things he wrestled with the idea of going out to see the pod again, but he knew deep down that they needed a break. Tracking them constantly wasn’t good for them, and in fact this week he’d be only visiting them once. There was always plenty of lab work to be done on land and other monitoring projects to work on. 

Getting in his car, he drove the short distance to the local marina in the nearby small town. The whole area was mainly populated by people like him; people who worked in the large city but craved the peace of the coast. He parked his car and unloaded his gear, greeting the old man who ran the small port as he hopped onto the docks. 

His boat was rocked slightly by small waves as he approached. It was an old boat; he had gotten it years ago from an old WDF associate who was too old to go off-shore anymore. Enrico had been working on it for years, and still working on it, buying new parts and accessories whenever he had the spare funds. The boat had originally been a sailboat, but Enrico had made it into a hybrid adding a motor and putting in a gas tank. Old and new planks of wood checkerboarded the sides, sanded down and coated with a clear lacquer. There was a small cabin below deck, enough for one or two people to live decently in if they desired. The living quarters were spartan, as Enrico had spent most of his time making the ship functional over livable. The appliances worked and the space was clean, but it could use an update.

He loaded his gear and started the motor, and soon he was off and on his way into the deeper waters. Crisp ocean spray blasted his face as he pushed the throttle forward, causing the boat to dig into the water then rise to glide over it on a smooth plane. The clouds were white and puffy, and sun was bright and the wind was soft. 

A perfect day to venture out.

* * *

The anchor splashed into the water and sank instantly, dragging the long length of chain and rope down to the depths. Enrico held the rope and let the boat drift until the anchor caught, and satisfied that he wasn’t drifting, tied it to a hitch on the bow. His radio played in the background, a weatherman reiterating how nice of a day it was and how there were no storms forecasted today or tomorrow. 

“Mmm, perfect day.” Enrico raised his arms over his head and stretched, humming with contentment. He unfolded a chair, set it out on the bow, cracked open a can of wine and got comfortable, soaking in the sun’s rays and the sounds of the sea all around him. The shore was a distant vision behind him. The waters beneath him were deep and dark blue, hiding a vast open world that man had still not fully explored. A whole frontier that was so close, but incredibly inhospitable, forcing man to always be a weak outsider within it’s great and terrible bowels. 

Enrico pulled the brim of his hat down a bit more and stretched out his legs. Despite years on the ocean he could never maintain a decent tan, and his fair skin was always vulnerable to the sun if he was uncovered for too long. Today he wore a light blue cotton sun shirt that covered his arms, and breathable white pants that took care of his legs. On his feet were boat sandals and white socks, and he didn’t care if that made him look like an old man burned feet were terrible and he wasn’t going to risk that. 

Taking out a rough paperback, he flipped to where he left off in the pulpy thriller and began to read, sipping his wine ever so often and relaxing with the rocking of the boat. Besides the occasional seabird that called out above he was all alone out on the great blue expanse, and he was perfectly comfortable with that.  
Until his boat jolted suddenly and his chair toppled over. Enrico yelled out and caught himself. “What in the world?” He got up and rushed over to the railing, looking over into the water. 

Lo and behold, a massive familiar face emerged from the water. Exhaling a large blast of water from his blowhole, the bull orca that Enrico had been seeing all last week squealed and squeaked in what Enrico could only assume was greeting. 

“How, how did you find me?” Enrico was completely baffled. There was no way. He had never used this boat around this bull whale, how did he know what boat this was? 

Looking out over the water, Enrico searched for the rest of the pod. He noted that there were no other orcas around. 

“Are you alone?” Here he was talking to an orca, but honestly if he had learned anything about this animal from the past week, it was that the male seemed to like that. 

The orca made a motion similar to a nod and with impressive strength, propelled itself further out of the water until he was almost over the railing. “Whoah! Whoah!” Enrico scrambled backward. He loved orcas but only a fool would not realize how dangerous they were. They were the apex predators of the sea, and while they may not hunt humans, even if this animal were to playfully nudge or bite him he could end up losing a limb, or dead. “Wait! Stop!”

The boat rocked and keened in protest as the massive orca pressed against it. Was it trying to come up? “You’re going to capsize me! Easy!” Enrico clung to the railing and pulled himself over to the whale. “What is it? What do you want? Do you want to play? Food? I don’t have anything for you.”

The bull lowered and ceased and swam around to the back of the boat. It again faced Enrico and seemed to expect the man to join him, squeaking and trilling incessantly. Enrico had to take a few moments to catch his breath. Hand clutched to his chest, he could feel his heart racing madly. 

“What is it?” He asked breathlessly, slowly inching towards the back of the boat. The bull just clicked and continued waiting. When Enrico got to the back, he climbed up over the stern and sat, looking at the whale. 

“You know, you act almost human.” Enrico remarked. The orca just looked at him and swam closer. Carefully, the animal lifted up and softly nudged Enrico’s legs with its snout, then sank back down. Swimming around the back of the boat, the bull repeated this multiple, touching Enrico then swimming about. 

The wheels turned in the researcher’s head. “Oh no, I can’t. You could kill me.” Even if the whale seemed absurdly friendly, the friendliness of an orca could be deadly to a human. “I’m sorry.”

The orca looked sad, but kept persisting, making an array of low, softer noises. Like it was pleading with the man to join him. 

Enrico started to seriously consider the offer. To swim with this majestic creature in these impeccable waters, it was a dream. Dangerous, but look at this orca, look at this opportunity. He could die here, or he could experience something one in a lifetime. 

He made up his mind. “Fine. I’m trusting you against my better judgement.” Enrico stood up and peeled off his shirt and pants, leaving him in his boxers. The bull orca excitedly splashed the water with his huge tail, soaking Enrico before he had even entered the water. 

“One moment, I’ll be right there.” He hopped off the stern into the main body of the boat and lifted a bright red diver’s flag. “Just to be careful.” 

He turned, looked at the whale, looked at the ocean, looked at how far away from the shore he was, from potential help if things went wrong, and then ran, jumped onto the stern and dived into the water. 

Cold water rushed around him as he plunged himself into the deep. His eyes shot open and frantically looked around just in time to see the massive bull dive down right below him and twirl beneath him. The animal clicked in a quick staccato, gracefully dancing through the dark blue water around Enrico. Kicking his feet, Enrico swam down to join the whale and was greeted by a squeal and a roll. 

Diving down the orca gained speed and shot up past Enrico, and for the first time in his life the young man was able to witness the grand spectacle of an orca breaching forth into the sky from under the moving viewing glass that was the sea. The water shook and roared when the bull came crashing back down, and Enrico felt the very core of his being shook with primal fear and awe. Swooping down the orca swam up to Enrico’s stunned figure and brushed his chest with his snout before swimming past. Enrico made a move to swim after him, but his lungs burned, so he surfaced for some deep breaths of air then dove back. 

The bull waited below and swam up to greet him, nudging his belly. Enrico smiled and rubbed the animal’s nose fondly. The skin was cool and smooth, and his hands glided over the beautiful animal without resistance. Responding with a mixture of clicks and low calls, the orca hung in the water and let the man admire him. Enrico was completely dwarfed, yet he was strangely unafraid. Feelings of connection tickled his gut as the two different animals made eye contact, suspended together in the cold pacific waters. 

Suddenly, the orca wrenched away and swam to face in the direction of Enrico’s boat. Fins twitching, the large body radiated an anxious aura, a complete 180 from the air of playful delight Enrico had just had the pleasure of experiencing. 

Without warning, the bull let out an ear-piercing scream and shot off.

Enrico swam to the surface, climbed onto his boat, pulled up the anchor faster than he ever had before, and rushed for the console. He could see the shadow of the orca under the surface shooting off ahead of him. 

Starting the boat he took off, following in the direction that the orca had beelined to. 

The engine roared and the boat practically flew over the water, Enrico bracing himself against the beat of the waves as he chased the whale. He knew without question that something had happened, and he could not live with himself if he didn’t see for himself what was wrong. This bull was of HIS research pod, and God forbid anyone try to hurt them. 

After a while of racing, his eyes picked up the outlines of three boats in group. The water was churning with activity, and he could discern the outlines of many orcas surrounding the boats. 

His heart sank. “No, goddammit!” 

He stopped his boat, not because of fear, but to open a compartment beneath his console and pull out a large rifle. If this was what he feared he wouldn’t hesitate, and he loaded multiple rounds into the chamber. Then, taking out his binoculars, he scanned the area, and validated his fears. 

Poachers had separated three of the calves, capturing them in a large net in the middle of the group. The mothers and family members were wailing helplessly on the outside, screaming with grief as the people on board brandished sharp harpoons at them to keep them at bay. His eyes caught a flash of red. Dora. She was fighting the net, trying to get to her terrified new calf that was being torn from her. 

“BASTARDS!” Enrico started the boat and rushed towards them, circling them, head racing and blood boiling. Those were his orcas! That was his pod! How many men? Who was the captain? Who should he shoot first?

The poachers had taken notice and sped up their work, not taking him too seriously. Enrico stopped the boat at a good distance, walked out from the console, raised his gun, aimed.

The water in front of him exploded.

Out from water came the bull, his titan body blocking the sun. 

He crashed down with his full weight onto one of the boats, and the screams of the men pierced the air. The 10 ton or more body of the furious orca thrashed and slammed, destroying and shattering whatever its unbelievably powerful body hit. Men were sent flying over the edge into the water, some bodies laying limp, some trying to frantically swim away. Not finished, his anger burning, the orca threw himself back into the water and right before Enrico’s eyes, with the same massive mouth that he had been stroking only a short while ago, brutally tore anyone still living to pieces. 

Blood and viscera were churned together in a macabre froth. Quickly, the two remaining boats started their motors, rushing to action but the bull was faster. With long hanging tendrils of intestine still hanging from his teeth he charged and rammed into one of the boats, busting a hole into the hull. He dove, and came up again to ram them again, shaking another unfortunate soul from their only refuge. Enrico watched as the poacher could only let out one desperate cry before he disappeared under the water, replaced by the spreading colors of blood. Water rushing in, the boat began to sink, and its desperate passengers fired handguns into the water in a last bid effort to deprive the aquatic warrior of its next kills. They failed, and they too fell prey to the knife-like teeth of the bull whale, their flesh shredded to bits in the unyielding waves. 

Vengeance! Pure vengeance. Artful beautiful retribution! Righteous fury! What a holy sight he was witnessing! This sublime animal, most powerful of its kind, a king, striking down these wretched monsters who wanted to hurt his kin! This orca was poetry in living flesh, an avatar of justice! 

So caught up in the beautiful dance of death, Enrico was late to notice a man pull out a harpoon gun and aim it at the magnificent bull. He screamed. 

“DON’T YOU DARE!” 

Without hesitation, without remorse or mercy, he raised his rifle, the metal barrel glinting in the sun, and fired. 

The crack ripped the air asunder. 

The bullet hit.

The harpoon gun fell overboard.

The man followed. 

The last boat fled with only two survivors on board. 

Enrico’s hands were shaking. “Bastards. Monsters.” He hissed. 

The bull whale surfaced, and the other members of his pod came to check him over, all of them squealing and clicking in concern. New gashes littered his flesh, but they were minor wounds. He would be okay. 

Enrico considered chasing the boat down, but he knew he would not be fast enough. He cursed but was ultimately grateful. This family had been saved, and he had witnessed a lord of the ocean take his revenge. 

The net remained, the stuck calves still suffering in its middle. Still shivering with excitement, Enrico got a hold of himself and drove his boat over, slowly, to the net. The orcas at first reacted with fear, but upon recognition let him come near. 

Enrico set his gun down and took out a large knife. Blade clutched between his teeth, he dove into the water, surrounded by orcas but unafraid, and swam to the net. A chorus of orca sounds buffeted him as he began to cut at the thick rope, and he could feel the strong currents generated by their nervous circling. As he finished creating a large hole Dora swam over to nudge him out of the way and re-join her baby. The other two mothers followed, and all of them ushered their young out and into the open water. 

Relief washed over Enrico, and he was overjoyed to see the small calves nestle up close to their loving mothers, safe again. He surfaced, breathing in the clear ocean air, surrounded by a large pod of celebrating orcas. 

“A perfect day indeed!” He laughed wildly. If he had told younger him that one day he’d be swimming with orcas after witnessing the slaughter of poachers and participating in it, well, younger him wouldn’t have believed it. 

He felt a bump against his side and looked over. The bull was there, and Enrico smiled and ran a hand over its scratched up face. 

“You were magnificent, a true king of the ocean. Absolutely superb.” He pressed lips to the snout of the orca and gave the animal a gentle kiss. Salt tinged his lips. 

The orca in response made no sound, but dipped below the water, and came up right underneath Enrico, lifting the surprised man out of the water. Enrico instinctively clutched onto the creature, too shocked to cry out or yell. He could only hold onto the tall dorsal fin as the orca swam him back over to his boat. The bull stopped at the back of the boat and Enrico crawled off, back onto his ship.

“Thank you.” Enrico said, bending over to scratch the orca’s chin. He received low guttural croaks in response, the bull enjoying the touches. 

“They shouldn’t come back, not after that. If they do though, I’ll be here, and you’ll be here. Make sure to keep taking care of all of them alright?”

The bull clicked a few times. Enrico could only assume that was a yes. Noticing the wounds, Enrico winced and reached out to examine one. “Look at you, I wish I had something for these. “

Snorting, the orca shook it’s head dismissively. 

“Fine, I’m sure you’ll be okay.” He resumed stroking the animal’s sleek skin, running his hands under his scarred eye. The other orcas milled around the boat, blowhole jets sounding off on all sides. None of them seemed to be in a hurry to leave, no doubt rattled by the recent events, and maybe somewhat comforted by the presence of a familiar friendly human. 

“You should all go.” Enrico spoke to the orca in front of him. “I don’t think it’s wise to stick around in the same place.”

It was strange. Enrico had always struggled with feeling comfortable around other people. He had always craved human relationships but his unusual obsession with sea life and his workaholic personality had always ruined that. It had taken him a horridly long time to find a student for his lab, as he suspected almost every applicant of being a mole, or just an idiot would hurt his beloved orcas. Heinkel was a rare exception, and his superiors had all breathed a sigh of relief when he told them he had finally filled the state-funded spot. Yet here he was, risking life and limb swimming with an animal he had just met this week and talking with him like an old friend. Or now that he thought about it, it was not strange at all. This was just natural progression of his life. He had always wanted to talk to whales, and now here he was, talking to whales. 

In a rare gesture, the bull opened his mouth and licked Enrico’s cheek before sliding down into the water and calling for the others to follow. 

Enrico held a hand to the licked cheek in shock. He had never in all his years of working with wild orcas experienced that. What did that mean? A kiss?

Watching them all leave, he wished for their safety, and that he’d keep seeing his new dear friend for as much time they could be granted in this chaotic world. 

It was sunset when Enrico arrived back in port. Docking his boat in his marina spot, he rushed back to his car, hoping no one would see him. When he had rushed off after the bull orca, he had failed to secure the clothes he had worn out (as well as his chair) and they had flown out, surely at the bottom of the sound by now. Now, Enrico, his hair wildly tangled by wind and drying salt water, made a beeline for his car clad in an emergency raincoat, with just his boxers underneath. The old man who kept the marina was still there, sitting by his small office shack and watching the sun go down. He just smiled and waved as Enrico ran past but didn’t heckle, understanding that plenty of things could go wrong at sea. 

Safe in his car, Enrico let out a relieved sigh and made a futile attempt to untangle his hair with his fingers. No, that wasn’t happening. 

“I really should get that shower in the boat working.” He said to himself, turning the key in the ignition and pulling out of his spot. The drive home was short, but it felt longer, running over the events of the day over and over again in his mind. It worried him that two had gotten away. He wasn’t concerned about legal problems; poaching or harming orcas was highly illegal, and criminals never went to the cops when their hands were so blood-red. What he was worried about, and the reason why he had multiple locks on his doors, was retribution. Enrico Maxwell was not a, quiet member of academia. This was not even the first time he had been engaged with these wildlife-crime gangs before, and this wasn’t even taking into account his years with the WDF. He’d received his share of death threats and carried guns on him almost everywhere. Italy-born, he still wasn’t used to the gun-culture of the U.S. but took advantage of it. 

He pulled off the main road and into his long driveway. Paying attention to the road, he kept a lookout for anything that looked off. Nothing unusual as far as he could tell.

The light of the day had already dimmed to a dull last gasp of a glow. His rocky yard was dark and full of shadows, putting him on edge. He needed to invest in more lighting for this place. With house payments, property taxes, marina fees, boat costs, car payments, there wasn’t much left for a comprehensive security system. He made a good salary (not as much as a tenured professor mind you), but still, he cursed not investing in better protections for his home on the regular. 

A handgun on his waist, he parked and walked up to his front door warily. Nothing but the perpetual roar of crashing waves caught his ear, no human shaped shadows among the coast to be seen. His porch and door were unmolested, his door still locked. 

Maybe it was fine, he thought, putting his key in the door and unlocking the first lock.

That moment was all it took. A sharp crack to the back of the head sent him crumbling to he ground. His vision blurring, he struggled to retain consciousness as the dark shadowy figures of his assailants loomed over him. They were the last things he saw before his world went dark.

* * *

Voices. Strange voices. His limbs, heavy, no not heavy, stuck, tied. The tang of iron plastered his mouth and he tried to open it but couldn’t. A rough cloth gag was fastened tightly around his head, digging into the sides of his mouth. He was freezing cold, laying on something hard and moving. 

Groaning, he opened his eyes, his vision still sick. His first sight was the white floor of a boat deck, ropes laying around and an anchor in the corner. His long platinum blonde hair had fallen in front of his face, and it was sticky and matted with blood. His blood.

The boat rocked and a sharp throb made him wince. The back of his head burned and was caked in blood. God, how much had he lost?  
He nude except for his underwear, and the cold nighttime ocean wind buffeted him mercilessly. Shivering, he tried to focus his swimming eyesight, blinking and desperately attempting to see who was walking towards him.

“Hey! He’s awake!” A gruff yet young male voice cried out. Heavy boots made their way over from the back of the boat, and a large cruel hand reached down, twisted itself in Enrico’s hair, and wrenched the man to his feet. Enrico cried out around the gag, feeling a chuck of hair be ripped out from his already pained scalp. 

“Well, good to see my men didn’t straight up kill you. Would have ruined this whole outing.” An older man, maybe in his late 50s if Enrico could guess by his voice, held him up and patted him on the cheek. 

“So you’re the bastard who killed David eh? You don’t look like much, but my crew has been awfully tired of you interfering in our work.” 

Enrico’s vision started to clear, the features of the man’s face becoming solid. He was right, the man was older, deep age lines marking his face, and his skin weathered by years on the water. The man was dark haired, tall with a square build and a mean face. The beginnings of a beard lined his chin and neck, the dark hairs coated with ocean mist. Between his chapped lips burned a cigarette, and the bright glow of the lit end drew Enrico’s eyes to it like moth to a flame. 

The man blew a plume of smoke into Enrico’s face. “God your ilk are annoying. Idiots who value the lives of stupid beasts more than your own. Like you have a sick fetish for the beasts. Do you know why you’re out here?”

Enrico squeezed his eyes shut with pain as he was dragged over to the side of the boat, his face forced to look out over the dark waters. There were no lights of the shore, no orienting point. His heart raced with fear. Yes he knew, and the direness of his situation made his stomach sink and rot in his bowels. 

“The ocean is vast and deep, full of riches to be made and secrets to find eh? As a man of the ocean yourself you have to agree?” The man chuckled and relaxed his grip on Enrico’s hair, letting the man stand on uneasy feet. “No one will find you though. Then no one will be here to interfere with our work. We’re being paid handsomely for your beloved little porpoises, more than your life is worth.”

Without warning Enrico was thrown to the deck, his head hitting and bouncing off the hard floor. His ears rang and his head burst with fireworks of pain. Laughter of multiple people could be heard amidst his spiraling senses. So this was how he died? Alone and surrounded by the very monsters he had tried his whole life to fight? He started to struggle against his bonds, the skin on his wrists peeling off in his desperation. 

“Oh ho, look at you. That won’t do anything.” Enrico tried to kick at the man when he approached but to no avail. The man grabbed him by the hair again and began to drag him to the back of the boat, all the while Enrico kicked and struggled, muffled curses and screams coming out from under the gag. The rest of the damned crew followed, surrounding him and watching with demented glee as a rope attached to an anchor was brought out. 

“You should be happy you know.” The leader signaled at his crew and they descended, holding the terrified and enraged young professor down as they tied the roped around his legs. “You’ll get to die how you lived, with your precious whales. Who knows, maybe they’ll find your body and eat you as a snack. Would be fitting wouldn’t it?”

He was going to die. Enrico started hyperventilating, screaming and crying, tears flowing from his eyes. He didn’t want to die here! Not like this! God was this how his leader had died? Alone and surrounded by evil, crowing men? Help me! Someone help me! His orcas! Dora, the calves, the bull! The unnamed bull that he had just gotten to meet! He’d never see any of them again! His life work would go unfinished! His sweet orca pod family was all going to die or be torn apart. Damn you! Damn you all! Damn you to hell!

The men on the boat jeered and tormented him, kicking and striking him while he was helpless on the ground. The leader walked over and bent down, his evil delighted grin and wretched breath right in Enrico’s face. 

“Goodbye little whale fucker.” He took his cigarette out of his mouth and put it out on Enrico’s forehead, laughing in glee at the pained muffled screams of his captive. “Hope your stupid little games were worth it.”

Like the sudden wrath of God, something slammed like a torpedo into the boat, sending everyone flying to the ground. Enrico was thrown to the side, but in a twist of fate the anchor attached to him kept him from being thrown like the others. The men cried and yelled, one had cracked his head open on the hard sides, blood pooling on the floor. 

“Jesus fucking Christ!” The leader got up from his hands and knees and screamed. “Get up! Get up! Get the guns!” 

Like whatever it was had been watching, the next strike came perfectly timed, right when everyone was in mid-rush to their stations. A man flew overboard with a scream. Enrico couldn’t see what happened next, but he could guess what was going on. The high-pitched wailing of a man being torn to shreds just confirmed his suspicions. 

Blasts of gunfire burst in his ears, the flashes of gunpowder illuminating the dark night in violent explosions of light. Another attack came but this time from the bottom of the bow. With the might of a legendary sea creature the front of the bow was lifted up from underneath, the boat creaking and cracking as it was heaved out of the water. Enrico and the anchor started to slide down but caught against the front console. Others were not so lucky and were thrown off the back to their death. The boat crashed down and the crying and gnashing of teeth began. Enrico heard the men scream for help, heard their agonized yells as they were ripped apart and disemboweled. 

The leader roared with anger. “Show yourself you monster!” He fired his rifle again and again, running around the boat. Only two other men remained, and they were clinging to the railing in fear, paralyzed no doubt by the sight of their fellow poachers being gruesomely killed. 

Walking up onto the bow, the old leader loaded a harpoon gun mounted on the deck and aimed into the water. All activity stopped, the boat rolling from the previous hits but otherwise calm. “Come on you bastard.” The leader swiveled around, looking for a shape in the water. “Come on.”

Struggling, Enrico managed to sit up. From his vantage point, he had a perfect view of what happened next, a phenomenon that would play out in slow motion. Flying out of the water, the enormous bulk of the bull orca, the scar-littered body of this aquatic warrior, flew over the bow and mouth open and lined with sharp blades for teeth, grabbed the damned leader and took him over the edge into the deep. The man didn’t even have the chance to scream. 

Light-headed, Enrico fell back over, hitting the ground hard. The last things he heard was the panicked cries of the last two survivors before he fell back into unconsciousness.

* * *

Warm. 

He was warm. Something was touching him, a hand. It stroked the side of his face in a soothing rhythm. There was a voice. Low and comforting, saying something he couldn’t quite make out.

Strength returning, his eyes fluttered open, his long blonde lashes coated in ocean dew and dried blood. His comforting respite was broken upon seeing that a man was holding him. 

Enrico panicked and pushed the man away, crying out in fear. “Get away! Don’t touch me!” 

The gag was gone and he could speak freely, and he was no longer bound. He struck at the strange man with all of his remaining strength. 

“Wait! Please! You’re okay! You’re safe! I’m not going to hurt you!” 

The voice was new. It was deep and powerful like the dark ocean beneath them, yet soft, filled with compassion and a fatherly kindness. 

Vision clearing once more, in the blackness of night Enrico made out the features of the man holding him. The first feature in particular that stuck out, was a deep light scar running down his cheek. 

“It’s me.” The man hugged Enrico to his chest, petting the back of Enrico’s hair. “They’re gone, I’ve taken care of them all.” 

The panic in Enrico’s chest began to subside. “What? Who are you?” He croaked, his throat dry and sore from screaming. 

“I’m.” The mysterious man stopped and looked down to smile at the confused professor. 

“I’m your bull.” 

“Wha, what?” 

The gears turned in Enrico’s head, putting everything together. No, no way. That was insane. 

“What in the world are you TALKING about?” Frightened again, Enrico struggled out of the man’s grip and tried to stand, but stumbled and fell, only to be quickly caught by the stranger.

“I know! I know it doesn’t make sense but it’s me! The orca! You swam with me! I saw you kill the harpooner! You cut the net open!” 

“How the hell do you know that! This is a trick! Get off of me!”

“Your name is Enrico Maxwell!” The stranger held on to the struggling professor. “You drew a picture of me when we first met! You called me sublime, said I was handsome, you spoke to me like a friend.” 

Enrico’s head was spinning. “What the fuck!” 

“You scratched my chin, I would visit you every day you were out, I wanted to see you. Your student’s name is Heinkel. You would play your call to bring us to you! Enrico please!”

He shook his head violently, his entire sense of reality crashing around him. Fighting out of the man’s arms he stumbled backwards, his back hitting the other side of the boat. 

“This isn’t possible.” He whispered. His eyes caught red, and he turned. The two men that had remained on the boat were very much dead, their stomachs and throats torn open. He looked to the bow where the leader of all these bastards once stood. Just a loaded abandoned harpoon gun, nothing more. 

“I’m dead aren’t I? This is a death hallucination isn’t it? I’m drowning right now, I must be.”

The strange man walked towards him. He was so tall, his body thick with muscles, and completely naked. Enrico tore his wandering eyes back up to the man’s face. In the light of the moon he could again see the scar but also more of his face. Whoever this was had beautiful sea-green eyes, silver-grey hair that reflected some of the lunar light, and was covered head to toe with-

Blood.

The man was covered with blood. His mouth was stained completely red, and when he looked closer Enrico could see bits of flesh stuck in the man’s hair. 

“Holy shit.” Enrico’s eyes were wide. He started to tremble. “You’re, you’re him.”

The stranger said nothing but approached slowly and reached out a hand. 

“My name is Alexander Anderson.”

Enrico lifted a heavy arm and offered his own hand. The man named Alexander Anderson took it and shook it gently. 

“Alex, Alexander Anderson?”

“Aye. I can prove it if you want to see.”

“I, please do.” Enrico replied softly and watched as the man nodded and climbed up on the railing right beside him, and jumped off into the water with a riotous splash. 

Enrico clutched the railing and looked down, heart racing and breath held in anticipation. Anderson rose to the top of the water, looked Enrico right in the eyes then dove down, transforming into the enormous orca that Enrico had come to adore. 

“Sweet God.” Enrico’s legs almost gave out from under him. “This can’t be real.”

The orca lifted its head out of the water and squealed at Enrico, the same sound he had heard all last week. The animal then dove down again and changed back into the man. 

“Alexander Anderson. You’re real. This is real.”

“Aye.” Anderson grinned up at Enrico. “I’m real.”

Enrico had to sit down. He felt weak.

Anderson climbed up the back of the boat and re-joined the other man, sitting in front of him. 

“I was so scared I wasn’t going to make it in time.” Anderson whispered, cupping the side of Enrico’s face. Enrico leaned into it, and held onto the man’s arm. The adrenaline had drained from him, leaving a hollow pit in his stomach. Tears prickled at the corners of his eyes. 

“I was going to meet you tonight, regardless of all of this. When I couldn’t find you I was so scared. I thought I would lose you before even getting to speak to you truly. May those bastards rot in hell.” Anderson’s voice was sad and tinged with guilt. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here earlier Enrico.”

“Alexander.” Enrico felt a pang of nausea and lurched forward, clinging to his savior. He was lifted and tenderly guided to the side of the boat where he vomited violently. A large hand held his hair back and another rubbed his back in smooth circles. 

“Shhh, that’s right, just let it out. You’re safe now.” 

Enrico coughed up the last of his stomach contents and fell back into Anderson’s arms. He was quickly picked up and cradled against the man’s chest, his body heat radiating into Enrico’s weakened flesh.

“Let’s get you home.” Anderson brushed his lips over the top of Enrico’s head. “I’ll tell you everything tomorrow.” 

Anderson carried Enrico inside the console cabin and sat him down. “I’m going to look for something for you to wear.

Enrico nodded numbly, and Anderson started rummaging around the boat. After a few minutes he heard two loud body-sized splashes, and soon Anderson returned with a water bottle and a blood-stained coat. 

“Sorry.” Anderson offered the coat to Enrico, who put it on despite the blood. He gratefully took the water bottle and chugged it down, washing the taste of bile and blood from his mouth. 

“Feeling a bit better now?” Anderson asked, kneeling beside the smaller man. 

Enrico looked up at Anderson. He was still in a state of disbelief, afraid that at any moment he would be wrenched from this dream and wake up underwater, his lungs filled with water. Yet for now, there was a powerful yet kind titan of a man caring for him, who also an orca shapeshifter. 

“I’ll make it.” 

Holding Anderson for support he stood up and leaned over the main console. He groped at the ignition, praised his luck that the key was still in it. He did not want to have to radio the coast guard for help. There was no way he could explain the gory scene without being arrested. 

“Can you drive home?” Anderson asked, hovering close and holding a hand against the small of Enrico’s back. 

“Yes. I can muster enough energy to get us out of this nightmare.” He turned on the marine GPS and found a spot at least close to his home on it. “Could you get the anchor?” He almost felt like vomiting again at the thought of an anchor. 

Anderson left wordlessly and took care of it while Enrico turned the motor on. He waited until Anderson returned to shift the boat into gear. Anderson hovered protectively about Enrico as he drove, giving Enrico zero personal space. In a healthy state of mind Enrico would have protested at a strange man being so close, but at this point he was just focused on the solid reality of driving home.

Motor roaring, Enrico Maxwell, famed orca biologist driving a poacher’s boat, wearing the bloody coat of a dead man, took both him and the naked supernatural orca shapeshifter savior back to his quiet coast-side home.


	2. Ocean Man, Take me by the Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the morning after Enrico's life almost ended, and a brand new one is beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to mention this last chapter, but I decided not to give Anderson an accent in this story, due to him not being one nationality. I figured there was no real reason to give a merman a heavy Scottish accent. Thank you to everyone reading! This is a fun project to work on!

Enrico woke up with a start. 

“Where? What?” He muttered, head in a fog. After some moments of confusion, he realized he was home, safe in his bed and quite alive. 

“Was that, just a dream?” He remembered everything so vividly, like it had actually happened. The attack, the man who saved him, the man shapeshifting, it all felt so real. Yet, here was, in his bed as usual. Part of him felt sad. How wondrous that would have been, to meet a real shapeshifter. He would have liked to talk more to this, Alexander Anderson. 

Soft morning light was poking through the bedroom curtains, sitting stubbornly on Enrico’s eyes. Grumbling, he turned over onto his other side to escape the light and try and go back to sleep. 

Instead, he came face to face with the sleeping form of the large man from his “dream”. 

Wish granted.

“AHH”! He screamed, jumping out of bed. Dragging a sheet with him he clutched it to his chest, becoming aware of how naked he felt in just his underwear.

The man in his bed stirred with a snort and woke up. Blinking lazily, he let out a roar of a yawn and sat up, twisting his back to stretch. 

“Good morning beautiful.” The man flashed Enrico a charming grin. “You feeling better?”

“WHY ARE YOU IN MY BED?” Enrico yelled, flustered and burning red-hot with an uncomfortable cocktail of feelings. 

The man looked honestly confused. “This is what human mates do right? Share a bed? Has that changed?” Anderson scratched his chin and yawned again. “You’ll have to excuse me, I haven’t lived with humans in many years. 

“MATES?”  
His cheeks burning, Enrico struggled to comprehend what was happening. “I, I JUST ALMOST DIED!” He was shaking. “WHAT DO YOU MEAN MATES?”

Anderson made an upset sound, looking deeply hurt. “I, you couldn’t tell?” 

Enrico squeaked in surprise when the man got out of bed and turned his face away. He was still completely nude.

“Could you please cover yourself?” Enrico asked, fighting with all his might to NOT look at the, admittedly, wildly attractive man in his room. 

“Oh, aye, sorry I forgot about that.” He walked forward and took the sheet from Enrico’s hands and wrapped it around his waist. “Still don’t get why people are so scared of their skin.” 

Enrico had stepped away, still reeling from everything and feeling safer with his own space. “You’re the man from last night? Alexander?”

“Anderson.” The man perked up with a smile. “You remember everything then.” He came closer excitedly, forcing Enrico to retreat again. 

“Yes, so it’s all real then? You are a, shapeshifter?”

“Mmmmm.” Anderson waved a hand in a non-committal gesture. “Not entirely. Humans don’t have a good word for what I am yet, but the closest thing would be a, “merman”, I guess? That’s not important though.”

Enrico thought it WAS important but was beset upon by the large man again before he could interrogate him more, backed against the door as Anderson approached him. 

“Did I mis-understand our relationship?” Anderson asked, sounding in pain. “I thought you enjoyed my flirting.”

“Flirting.” Enrico repeated dumbly. He played over all their interactions; all the time spent with the bull orca. It dawned on him. This whale-man had been courting him. 

“No I, didn’t know.” Enrico admitted meekly. Anderson’s face fell, and Enrico couldn’t help but suffer a sharp pang of guilt.

“Oh.” Anderson backed away, turned towards the bed and sat on it. “Well, yes you’re right then this was very forward of me to sleep in bed with you.” 

“That doesn’t mean I’m not grateful!” Enrico blurted out, desperate to assuage his guilt and the feelings of this strange being. “You saved my life! Thank you, god knows I’d be dead if it wasn’t for you!”

Anderson lifted his head and his face brightened. Now in the light, Enrico could get a solid look at him. He was a massive man, tall, strong, covered in marks and scars and a thick layer of silvery-gray chest hair that trailed down to his stomach and below the towel. His face had the same scar and a rugged square cut chin, and beautiful vivid emerald-green eyes. The more Enrico looked at him, the more the butterflies in his stomach started to swirl. This man was exceptionally handsome.

“Also.” Enrico swallowed thickly and hesitated. He shouldn’t be saying this, but his heart was pulling him down another path. “Just because I didn’t understand your intentions before, doesn’t mean I am, completely, opposed to them.” 

That got Anderson’s full attention. The man stood up excitedly. “Really?” He asked, walking back to be close to Enrico and holding his hands. “Aye! Now that we can talk freely I’m sure this will work out! You will be my mate!”

“W-w-well slow down, wait.” Anderson was very close to Enrico again, seemingly unbothered by the conventions of personal space. A bright red blush bloomed on Enrico’s cheeks. This vivacity and desire, what had Enrico done to spark this? “Let’s just take it easy for now.”

No doubt sensing Enrico’s discomfort Anderson backed off. “Sorry, I’m just so excited. I’ve wanted this since I saw you after all, to be with you like this.” 

“I’m flattered.” Enrico felt a painful throb on the back of his head. “Ahhh.” He winced and clutched the back of his skull. Blood was still matted in his hair, making it a terribly crusty tangled mess of salt and blood. Anderson made a soft noise of concern and reached around Enrico’s head to gingerly inspect the busted scalp. He felt the gash of the back of Enrico’s head and frowned. “You should wash. Do you want me to help you?”

“No!” Enrico yelped, completely flustered by the idea. “I mean! No I’ll be fine, but thank you.” He backed up out of Anderson’s caring grip. “Make yourself at home in the meantime, just don’t break anything please.” Enrico sighed, and walked into his bathroom.

“I’ll be here if you need anything!” Anderson called out. Enrico just nodded and closed the door. 

He exhaled loudly. “Hoooooly shit.” 

What was he going to do? What was he going to do with Anderson? How was he going to handle this? And the poachers! Well they were dead now but the boat! What was he going to do with that? Would the police find out? And why in the world is this man so infatuated with him? This whole time! Flirting! 

What did he mean by “merman”? Was there MORE to this man? Where was he going to live? With Enrico? Back in the ocean? 

A loud crash from the kitchen broke Enrico out of his thoughts and he groaned. 

“Everything’s fine!” Came a barely muted, masculine voice from the other room. 

“I need to shower.” Enrico forced himself up and stepped into the tub. Drawing the shower curtain closed he turned on the tap. Pleasantly hot water rained down on him in a refreshing torrent, washing away the salt and bloody grime coating his skin and hair. Enrico closed his eyes and let the water pour over his face. The burn on his forehead stung, pain radiated through his head and he was bruised all over, but he was alive and home. 

The shower helped to clear his mind and focus his thoughts. He reached out from the curtain and groped around for a brush. Finding one, he grabbed it and started gingerly de-tangling his hair. It was unpleasant but necessary, and he grimaced and grit his teeth as each pull of the brush caused his scalp to sting. 

This could be a good thing, having this Alexander Anderson around. He was much safer with him than without him, and Enrico wasn’t sure if there would be any further revenge from the poacher gang, if there were any members left. Alexander also seemed to be a good man. Despite his, unbridled ardor, he hadn’t made any inappropriate moves on Enrico last night and wasn’t trying to force himself on him. His heart was obviously in the right place. 

Then there was the curiosity factor. Enrico desperately wanted to know more about Anderson. He could be an orca and then a man, and then he had mentioned something about being a merman? Whatever the case, he had already proven himself to be a being only talked about in myths and legends. He’d be a fool to turn down knowing this man more.

Lastly, maybe this could be a good partnership. Despite this rough morning, Anderson had saved his life, and whenever Enrico looked at him he couldn’t help but feel, like he wanted MORE. 

He managed to get the last snag out of his hair and sighed in relief. Clean and rejuvenated, he felt ready to take on whatever this day would bring.  
Enrico dried and changed into a pair of jeans and a tee shirt with the University of Washington’s logo on it. He decided not to bother drying his hair for now, lest he irritate his abused scalp any further, and left his room to join his new suitor in the kitchen.

To his great relief nothing was broken. Anderson was sitting at the kitchen table sipping from a mug and had another steaming mug set on the table across from him. He grinned when Enrico entered.

“How are you feeling? I made you some coffee.”

“Thank you. I’m feeling much better.” Enrico joined Anderson at the table and picked up his mug. He was about to take a drink when he noticed the whole coffee beans floating in his mug. In fact, it was filled with coffee beans bathing in hot, light brown water. 

Made sense. Why would an orca/shapeshifter who lived in the ocean know how to brew coffee?

“Did I make it right?” Anderson asked sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “I uh, really haven’t done this before.”

Enrico drank his coffee bean water. “It’s fine, I can teach you how to make it later. This will work perfectly for now.” He said politely. As bad as the drink was, he wasn’t going to be rude to his savior over something as trivial as a weird cup of coffee.

“Heh, sorry. I’d love to learn how. You humans seem to love this bitter water.”

“This “bitter water” is very good when prepared, differently.” Enrico said tactfully. Setting down his mug, he readied himself and looked Anderson straight in the eyes.  
“I need to know. What are you?” He held Anderson in his gaze, expecting the man to become nervous or uncomfortable at the questioning. Instead, his house-guest shrugged casually and smiled.

“Aye, I do owe you more of an explanation.” He chuckled softly. “I am what men consider a merfolk, but not in the way most people think. You see.” Pausing, Anderson leaned back in his chair and thought for a moment. “You already know me in this form and as an orca, but to be honest, and don’t freak out, neither of those are my true forms.” 

“Really?” Enrico leaned forward, hanging on every word. “So are you an illusion right now? Or a true physical shift?”

“True shift.” Anderson answered nonchalantly. “It just takes me a bit more effort to stay like this than my normal form. All merfolk are like me, but not many humans ever saw us change forms.”

“So your, true form then? You’re, half fish?” Enrico asked while visualizing the man in front of him with a fish tail. 

Anderson grinned. “No, I think you’ll like it though.” Standing up, Anderson reached for Enrico’s hand. “Come down to the beach with me Enrico. Let me show you who I really am.”

Enrico stared up at Anderson, knowing that if he took this man’s hand he would be taken on a life-altering experience, one that would alter everything he thought he knew about the world.

He took Anderson’s hand and was lifted up to his feet.

Anderson was beaming as he led Enrico out the front door. They traversed the steep switchbacks down to the shore, both men refusing to let go of the other’s hands. Enrico could feel Anderson’s strong excited pulse, and he was sure that Anderson could feel his.

The ocean was calm, the waves gently lapping at the rocky shore. Bright red crabs scuttled out of their path as they walked to the water’s edge. Seagulls rested in large flocks nearby, calling incessantly to one another and largely unconcerned with the amazing event about to take place. 

At the edge of the ocean, seafoam licking their heels, Anderson turned to face Enrico, and held both of his hands. In the morning light Anderson’s sun-kissed skin glowed and his green eyes shimmered like light dancing on the water. So caught by his beauty, Enrico didn’t notice when Anderson dropped the sheet covering his lower body. Enrico didn’t protest when Anderson led him slowly into the water with him, the cold waves happily accepting them into their depths. Strong arms held him in a secure embrace as their feet left bottom, and pressed to Anderson’s broad chest, Enrico heard the man exhale and felt the human legs disappear. 

No. Not disappear.

Change.

Enrico gasped when he felt the cool sleek skin of an orca against his lower body. He looked down into the water and saw that it was exactly that. Anderson’s legs were gone, replaced by a massive, powerful, black and white orca tail, bearing the same scars and marks that he had come to recognize fondly. 

“Oh my God.” Enrico gasped, clinging to Anderson. “This is real.”

“Aye. This is very real.” 

Letting go, Anderson smiled at Enrico before diving into the water. Enrico took a deep breath and followed. He had to see more.

Below him was Anderson in all his glory. His sleek tail propelled him through the water with ease, and Enrico watched with delight as Anderson dashed around him, bumping and brushing against him playfully. If he wasn’t underwater Enrico would have laughed. Coming close, Anderson let Enrico touch and feel the tall dorsal fin coming out of his back, clicking in pleasure as Enrico ran his fingers down to the base of the man’s back. 

Holding Enrico again, Anderson swam them both up to the surface to let Enrico breath. 

“You’re stunning!” Enrico laughed, wrapping his arms around Anderson’s neck. “This is the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen! I, I can’t believe this but yet here you are! A merman!”

Anderson just purred and nuzzled his face to Enrico’s neck, his hands exploring the small of Enrico’s back. “Aye, I’m a merman.” Enrico felt the tips of sharp teeth nip the sensitive skin of his neck and he jumped. When Anderson lifted his head back up Enrico could see that his mouth was full of sharp teeth, just like the killer whale that he was. A flutter of excitement buzzed in Enrico’s belly.

“You’re the first man in many years to see me like this.” Anderson said quietly. Leaning back, he held Enrico to him as he swam along on his back, his tail easily letting them cruise comfortably. His fingernails had turned into claws, and Enrico could feel the tips of them through his thin shirt. “The other orcas talk about you, you know.”

“Really!” Enrico’s eyes sparkled. “That’s amazing! What do they say?”

Anderson chuckled. “The old matriarch you call Dora likes you, she appreciates the care you’ve shown them. It is why I stopped attacking you that day. I realized you were the “Enrico” she was talking about.”

“Wow.” Enrico was overwhelmed. In his years of fighting for these creatures, he had never expected any thanks from them, but to know that his pod liked him, that they were grateful, it brought tears to his eyes.

Anderson looked at him fondly and brushed the tears away with a thumb. “Good tears I hope.” He said.

“Sorry. This is all a lot to take in.” Enrico wiped his face and smiled. “Why me? Why are you risking your identity for me? Surely it can’t just be on the word of other orcas.”

Anderson hummed and lifted Enrico up closer, their faces almost touching. “How does one explain a sense?” Anderson said quietly. “A feeling. I suppose you humans call it “love at first sight”, but I could also just tell from meeting you that you were different. So far it seems I was right.”

Enrico felt his cheeks turn hot and unconsciously, he pressed closer. “You’re in love with me then?” He asked, his heart pounding in anticipation. 

“Aye. It’s my wish that you will feel the same for me.”

Despite the cold water Enrico felt uncomfortably hot. All his reservations not even an hour ago were dissipating like foam in the waves. 

Leaning in, Enrico kissed Anderson. Instantly the grip around him tightened and Anderson returned the kiss, clutching the side of Enrico’s face as he let loose his passions. 

Enrico moaned, clinging desperately to Anderson as he was overcome with his partner’s intensity. The taste of saltwater was heavy in his mouth as Anderson’s thick tongue breached his lips. With no resistance Enrico accepted and melted into the most intense kiss he’d ever had with a man, his body burning all over. 

Anderson withdrew, both men gasping for breath. 

“You’ll be my mate then?” Anderson asked, stroking the side of Enrico’s face. Enrico, breathless, nodded his head vigorously. 

“Yes. Yes I’ll be your mate.” 

Anderson let out a loud, piercing orca call and dove into the water with Enrico. Holding him tight he rolled and twirled about in the sea, taking his new partner along with him on a wild underwater ride. 

Returning to the surface Anderson continued to chatter happily while Enrico struggled to catch his breath. 

“Anderson! Warn me before you do that!” 

Anderson stopped his calls and went silent, guilt clouding his face. “I’m sorry, are you okay? I’m just so excited about this!” 

How was this the same man that tore apart multiple men just a few hours ago?

“I’m fine. I understand. I’m a bit excited about this too.” Enrico admitted, laying his head on Anderson’s shoulder. He was still tired from last night and this morning had proven to be no less relaxing. To being almost murdered to jumping headfirst into a relationship with his merman savior, he was considering taking the next day off. “Could you take me back to shore please?”

Enrico felt Anderson nod, and soon he found himself being led atop Anderson’s back. 

“Aye, I’ve kept you out too long. Hold on.”

Holding onto Anderson’s dorsal fin Enrico was given a ride back to the shore. It was a short ride but to Enrico it felt like hours, sitting atop the sleek powerful back of merman in what should have been a fairytale, not real life.

Enrico dismounted at the shore and turned around in time to see Anderson stand back up on two legs.

“Are all mermen as good at changing as you?” Enrico asked, picking up the discarded bed-sheet that was now soaked in seawater and sandy. 

“Depends. I’ve been around a long time, have had time to perfect my skills. Can I carry you back to your home?” 

Enrico was a bit surprised but nodded. “Yes, that would be nice.” 

Anderson smiled and picked Enrico up, cradling him in his arms comfortably. “I figured you might want a break from climbing. But yes, younger members of my folk are clumsier at shifting than the older ones.”

“How old are you?” 

Anderson looked down at Enrico and grinned. “Don’t humans consider it rude to ask someone’s age?” He laughed, making his way up the steep path with ease. “It’s fine, I’m old. Incredibly old. Many centuries. You stop counting after a while. My kind, we can live forever if not killed by disease or violence.”

“You’re immortal!” Enrico cried out, sitting up in Anderson’s hold. “You’re serious! That’s insane!”

“Aye. Not many live forever though. The past few centuries, have not been kind to us.” Anderson’s voice turned somber, his eyes not really looking at Enrico anymore. Enrico knew in his heart what he was talking about. Rage swelled within him. To think that while man plundered the ocean of its life, they had also decimated merfolk! He mourned what could have been. What would have changed in the understanding of the ocean if men had been less violent and greedy? What could have been learned from this race if we had been more accommodating? The advances in knowledge! In culture! All squandered! 

“I’m sorry.” He said, fingers curling in an angry grip. “Are there, many of you left?” He asked, knowing the answer would not be kind. 

Anderson shook his head. “No.”

“Ah.” Enrico decided on no more questions. He wrapped his arms around Anderson shoulders as best he could and hugged him, burying his face in the man’s chest. Anderson stopped walking. They were close to Enrico’s house, that quiet hamlet near the pacific. 

Setting Enrico down on his feet, Anderson tilted Enrico’s chin up to look at him. He was smiling softly. 

“It’s strange, despite it all I’ve never stopped loving your race.” He leaned down and they kissed, lips touching in a fleeting exchange of understanding. “I’m glad I’ve taken the risk to be with you. You’re a fine man Enrico Maxwell. If more had been like you things would be much better.” 

“That’s a lot of praise.” Enrico’s face was burning. Sure he was proud of himself, and considered himself above the other researchers who were too weak-willed to fight for what they believed in, but for this ancient and powerful merman to laud him, it felt unearned. 

“I don’t know if I’m worthy of it.”

Anderson scoffed. “You were almost killed for protecting a species that wasn’t even your own. I think that’s worth the praise.” 

“Well, thank you. Although I doubt you really needed my help.”

“I always like the help.” Anderson nuzzled against his cheek. “Especially from a beautiful young man.” 

Blushing, Enrico stumbled a bit. “Could, you pick me back up?” Enrico’s legs felt weak. He didn’t know if it was from the exhaustion or from Anderson’s words.

Anderson had no issue, and happily scooped him back up and carried him inside.

* * *

Leaving the shower for the second time that day and hair blow-dried, Enrico changed into loose shorts and a plain white tee-shirt. As much as he loved the ocean, it was nice to be dry for once. 

Anderson wasn’t in his bedroom so he left and looked for him in the house. 

“Alexander?” He called out, confused but the silence. Walking into the kitchen, he noticed a roughly written note on a napkin.

“Out hunting.”

Enrico went grabbed his binoculars and went outside. He aimed his optics down at the cove below and looked for signs of activity. Seeing the flash of an orca tail, his pulse quickened. There he was.

He tried to follow him, but Anderson had dived too deep. Enrico sighed and went back inside, his stomach growling. 

Popping two slices of bread in the toaster he leaned against the kitchen counter and sipped a glass of water. His thoughts were still entirely consumed by Anderson. 

“Well, here you are Maxwell, you’re now mates with a merman. I don’t even know exactly what that entails.” The toast popped out and he grabbed a piece, chewing on it dry. “Never thought you’d be doing this would you?”

He would absolutely be canceling tomorrow. Making a mental note to call Heinkel, he finished off the first piece and started another. The simple wheat bread was settling his stomach perfectly. Never one to throw caution to the wind, his sudden affection for Anderson had him surprised. Well, first time for everything. 

Smiling, he was all-in-all pretty pleased with himself. “Look at you, getting an ancient being of legend to love you. And your last boyfriend said you’d end up old and alone. Proved him wrong.”

The sounds of feet by the backdoor shook Enrico out of his self-sycophantic musings. At first his mind went immediately to another invader and he grabbed a chef’s knife out of instinct. 

“Enrico?” Anderson called out as he came into the house. 

He relaxed and let go of the knife. “In the kitchen Alexander.” 

Feet padded through the short hallway and into the kitchen. Beaming with pride and soaking wet, Anderson came into Enrico’s view holding what looked like a huge lingcod. There was a deep bloody bite right behind the fish’s head, the creature fully dead. 

“Do you like it?” Anderson asked, walking forward and offering the fish to Enrico. “I want to make sure you’re well fed!” 

“Alexander.” Enrico’s mouth went dry and he grimaced as the cold slimy body of the fish was placed in his hands. Its glassy dead eyes stared up at him. “It’s, very impressive.” He gave Anderson a strained smile. 

Anderson looked confused. “You don’t like it? I thought humans preferred fish.”

“No it’s not that I just, don’t know, what to do with all of this.” Enrico ate seafood occasionally, but never had he handled a whole, not-pre-cleaned fish. He had just wanted to eat some toast and take a nap! 

“Oh! You eat it!” Anderson said, oblivious. 

“I know that!” Enrico snapped, nerves wearing thin. “I don’t know how to clean it!” 

“Ohhhhh.” Anderson nodded, and took the fish back. “Leave it to me then!” 

Taking the fish to the kitchen counter, Enrico watched as the nails on Anderson’s hands turned into the sharp claws of his merman form. In one swift movement, Anderson hooked a claw into the vent of the fish and slashed the belly open to the throat. He then grabbed the bottom jaw of the fish and ripped down, pulling the entirety of the innards out in a long continuous bunch. Watching in a mixture of horror and fascination, Enrico stood there in stunned silence as Anderson tilted his head back and placed the fresh guts into his mouth, his razor-like teeth flashing as he closed his jaws and swallowed. 

“See?” Anderson turned his head, his lips upturned in a bloody grin. “It’s easy.” 

“Yes, easy. Thank you for the fish, but I really need to go take a nap.” Enrico was tired, but now after that display uneasy and lightheaded. 

“Aye, I’ll take care of this then.” Anderson continued butchering the fish, eating any part that he knew his human partner would not enjoy. “I might be gone by the time you wake up but I’ll be back today.”

“Gone? Are you going back to your pod?” 

“Mmhmm.” Anderson mumbled, crunching on the spiny fishtail. “I need to tell them the good news afterall.”

“Good news…” Enrico paled. “About us?”

“Of course! That and all the poachers are dead. I also need to tell them I’ll be with you a lot more now. There’s a lot of news now that I think about it.”

“Isn’t that weird though?” Enrico asked while washing his hands of all the fish slime. “Telling the other orcas you’re with a human?”

“No, they’ll understand.” Anderson said nonchalantly. “Don’t worry about it, if anything they’ll all like you more.”

“Great.” Enrico sighed and gave up. This would make seeing them significantly more awkward now but could he really stop him? “If I’m not up by the time you get back please wake me. I don’t want to sleep the whole day away. Oh! And also!” Enrico pointed to the fridge. “Please put the fish in there, when you’re finished cleaning it. You know what that is right?

“Hmm?” Anderson looked over at Enrico’s refrigerator. “That big box? Why?”

“It’s where I put my food. It is called a refrigerator. It keeps food from spoiling.”

“Wow!” Anderson let go of Enrico and made a beeline for the fridge, buzzing with excitement as he looked it over. “Amazing! It’s cold!” He exclaimed, sticking his hand in.

Enrico chuckled and joined him. “Check this out.” He opened the top door to the freezer and Anderson gasped.

“You have ice in here!”

“That’s the freezer. It freezes anything put in it.”

“Like your own tiny winter.” Anderson said with quiet awe, sticking his head in the freezer. “You have to teach me about all of this! This, refrigerator and freezer, and how to make coffee! Humans are still as amazing as ever!” 

Watching Anderson take such grand delight in things that had been commonplace to Enrico was a treat. “Oh this is just the start. Once I get you some clothes I can take you into the city. That will blow your mind I’m sure.” 

“We can do that?” Anderson swung his head around, his eyes sparkling. “Please! I’d love to see what’s changed!”

“Oh, SO MUCH.” Enrico pulled Anderson away from the fridge and shut the doors. “Keep these closed, otherwise the food will stop being cold.”

“Got it.” Anderson nodded, but he played with the smooth white handle, obviously tempted to look in it more. 

“I’m serious.”

Anderson sighed. “All right. I don’t want to ruin your food.” 

“Thank you. I’m going to go take a nap now. Please don’t mess with anything until I’ve shown you how to use it.” 

Enrico started to leave the kitchen but Anderson caught him. “Wait!” He leaned down and kissed Enrico on the cheek. “I got to give you a kiss goodbye right?”  
The kiss left a strong fish smell on his face and was wet from blood, but the gesture warmed him. “Of course, you’re right, come here.” Enrico stood up on his tip toes and bravely planted a kiss on his new partner’s lips, as gross as they were. Anderson trilled in delight and hugged Enrico close. 

“I’ll be back soon, get some rest my love.” 

The words “my love” reverberated through Enrico’s mind, filling him with profound comfort and contentment. “Good, be safe Alexander.

“I will.”

They separated and Enrico went into his bedroom. Tired and hot with affection, he quickly washed his face of any fish remnants and changed into clean pajamas. He virtually fell into his bed and was in a deep sleep within a few minutes. 

Sometime later, the stubble of Anderson’s jawline rubbing against his neck roused Enrico awake. 

“Mmm? Alexander?” Enrico yawned, turning over to see that his partner had indeed returned.

“Have a good sleep?” Anderson wrapped his arms around Enrico and pulled him close. His hair was wet and his skin still dewy, and he carried on him the enigmatic cologne of fresh air and ocean waves.

“Yes. What time is it?” 

“Couple hours after noon.” Anderson answered, kissing Enrico’s temple sweetly. “I don’t know what you call that though.”

Enrico glanced over at his bedside clock. “We call it 2:15, but you can just tell without clocks can’t you?” He sighed and snuggled into his partner. “That must be nice.”  
“Humans used to do that, but nothing wrong with clocks. They’re all doing well by the way.”

“Hmm? Oh!” Enrico snapped out of his hazy state. “They are?”

“Aye.” Anderson flipped over onto his back, bringing Enrico up to lay on his front. “There’s been no harassment so far. They had a successful hunt this morning too.”

“Really?” Enrico propped himself up a bit to look and speak with Anderson easier. “I’m assuming seals from what I know about their preferences.”

“Yeah. More importantly though, the whole matriline is okay with us. Happy for me even.”  
Enrico cocked a brow. “That’s, strange. Is, loving humans something orcas do usually?”

“Hah! No, sorry.” Anderson ran his hands through Enrico’s hair idly. “No, if I was a genuine orca I’d be seen as a freak, but they know I’m not, that I just wear their guise around them. They are the first pod in a long time to accept me. Most are wary of a strange creature like me, and I can’t blame them. I know I come off as a monster to the uninitiated, both man or beast.” Anderson said, his tone one of somber acceptance of his long ostracization. 

“I’m sorry. If it’s any consolation I find you as the exact opposite of a monster.” Drawing the tips of his slender fingers down Anderson’s cheek, he traced the outline of his deep scar. “The real monsters in my experience have been men with twisted intentions, and that’s obviously not you.”

Anderson smirked. “You know, I did think I’d encounter more resistance to my affections when I learned you didn’t consider us mates yet. What caused you to change your mind in less than an hour or being with me?”

Enrico went pale. “Well, yes, I did warm up to you rather quickly didn’t I?” He twisted his hands together and wrung them nervously. “It’s awful to admit this, ah, please don’t think of me as nothing but vain-“

“It’s because you found me physically attractive isn’t it?” 

“Oh my God I’m awful.” Enrico hid his face in his hands while Anderson just let out a great booming laugh. 

“Why are you ashamed?” He moved Enrico’s hands away and held both sides of his face, his thumbs lightly brushing his cheeks. “Sexual desire is a thing to be celebrated. Just because we both were drawn to one another first by physical sparks doesn’t mean it’s not something special.”

“Both?” Enrico asked, heart fluttering in his chest. 

“What? You think I went after you because I liked your boat?” Anderson laughed again, a deep belly laugh that shook Enrico as he was perched on top of him. “The flame of your handsome visage might have lured me in initially but more and more I fell for who you are as a man.”

“Poetic.” Enrico laid his head down on Anderson and drew small circles in his chest. “I’ve known you in a form I can converse with for less than a day, so I might need more time to meet you at the point you’re at.” 

“Fair.” Anderson shrugged. “I know humans don’t move as fast as my kind do. I’m just happy to be here with you.”

“I’m, happy you’re here too.” Enrico smiled and closed his eyes, just feeling the warmth and heartbeat beneath him. It had been so long since he’d shared a bed with someone. He’d forgotten how badly he missed it. 

A calloused hand stroked the top of his head. “You could go back to sleep right here if you want. I don’t mind.” 

Enrico shook his head faintly. “No, I should be getting up. Could you hand me my phone?” He pointed to his sleek black phone by the bed. Anderson picked it up and eyed it warily. 

“This is a phone now?” 

Fiddling with the screen and buttons, he jumped when it lit up.

“Whoah!”

“Yes, please give it here thank you.” Enrico took it out of Anderson’s hands but did not shake his interest. Sitting up with Enrico, Anderson stuck his head between Enrico and the phone trying to look at it. 

“How the HELL does that work?”

“This is not winning you any courtship points Alexander.” Enrico maneuvered out of his nosy partners view but he was pulled back. Anderson curiosity was smothering. 

“Is thing a typewriter too? How does it fit in there?” He asked, voice full of awed fascination as he poked the keyboard on the screen, causing Enrico to be unable to unlock it. 

“Would you! Please! One second!” Enrico yanked away and got up out of bed, quickly unlocking his phone and bringing up the texting screen before Anderson rejoined him, hanging over his shoulder and getting in his space again. 

“Let me see it.”

“No. Not now, I’ll show you later.”

“Please? Please I need to see this new contraption you men have made!”

Enrico dodged a grabbing hand. “If you don’t stop that I won’t tell you anything about it and you’ll have no idea how to use it!” 

The threat worked, and Anderson huffed and settled down. He didn’t stop watching over Enrico’s shoulder though. Enrico tolerated it, just to sate his partner. 

He texted Heinkel and let her know that Monday was canceled due to him being suddenly very sick. She’d be thrilled of course. 

“Okay. Thank you.” Enrico turned to face Anderson and showed him the phone. “This is what we call a smartphone. It’s essentially a mix of a phone and a computer.”

“What’s a computer?” 

The conversation that followed was long and complicated. Enrico to the best of his ability, explained the basics of computers and phones, showed Anderson how to use the basic apps like phone calls and text messages, and had to catch his phone from being thrown across the room when he showed Anderson how to play music from it. 

“IT CAN TALK?” Anderson yelled, his body tensing up in preparation to combat this sudden “threat”.

“Don’t! Throw this!” Enrico shut the music off and breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay, maybe that was too much.”

Anderson still looked on edge, eyeing the phone warily. “Are there people in there?”

“No, it’s just music. We have come up with ways to.” He struggled to explain it. “Take sounds and put them in computers so we can play those sounds anytime we like.”

“So there’s not people in there?” Anderson picked the phone up and pressed his face to the screen, looking into the glass. 

“No, there’s no one in there.” Taking the phone back, Enrico patted Anderson’s hand comfortingly. “I can see how you’d think that though. No, it’s just data and files.”

“Amazing. Absolutely mind-blowing. Humans are so extraordinary.”

“You think so? Despite all our sins?” Enrico put his phone away. “Despite our crimes we’ve committed against your kind, you still think we’re amazing?”

“I know it’s weird, but aye, despite it all, I’ve always loved humanity. I’ve always cherished being able to be with humans and live with them, whenever fortune allowed it.”

Grabbing hold of Enrico’s hands, Anderson pulled him back down onto the bed. “Your kind is innovative, and always coming up with new ideas. There is a bond I feel with humans too, more than orcas.”

“Really? Why?”

“Don’t get me wrong. I love being with orcas, but at the end of the day I’m a merman. It’s hard for me to fully integrate into orca society, I’m more man that I am animal. When the day comes that I find a human I can trust.” He smiled, stroking Enrico’s cheek. “The loneliness that plagues me finally goes away. I feel like I belong. Despite being here only a day, I already feel more at home than I have in years.”

“Alexander.” Enrico melted into the touch, closing his eyes. “I hope I don’t end up disappointing you.”

“You won’t. I know you’ve taken a big risk in accepting me into your life and I won’t forget it. You’re quite the man, meeting a merman and taking it in stride. Lesser men would have freaked out and tried to shoot me by now. I know that from experience.” 

Enrico sneered. “Small-minded cowards and idiots.” 

Anderson laughed. “You’re a delight.” He leaned up and kissed the corner of Enrico’s lips. “I’m lucky to have found you within this huge world.”

“My exes would disagree with you on that.”

Anderson laughed again and rolled over on top of Enrico, his warm, heavy, naked body pressing the slimmer man down onto the mattress with an arousing pressure that forced Enrico to stifle a moan. 

“Small-minded cowards and idiots.” Anderson parroted, hovering over Enrico with a grin that showed off his rugged features and pearly white sharpened canines. His body was thick with taut muscle and coiled up strength. Looking up at his new partner, Enrico felt weak underneath him, his body growing hotter by the second. 

Anderson was truly an apex predator in a man’s body and it was driving Enrico crazy. 

Anderson’s eyes glimmered with a spark of recognition and he purred, sliding down close to Enrico’s body until their lips were almost touching. 

“I can tell you’re aroused.” He whispered in a low gruff voice that made Enrico’s toes curl. “I smell your scent change and hear your blood rush. Let me take you as my mate, for the first time of many. I want you.” He cupped the sides of Enrico’s face tangling his fingers in his hair. 

Enrico’s phone chimed, with Heinkel’s response no doubt, but he had no interest in it. He was completely hard from nothing more than some body contact and heated words, and from the stiffness felt against his leg, his partner was erect too. Just from the sensations on his leg he could tell that Anderson was endowed with a massive cock. He had resisted staring at it while he had paraded naked through his house, but he could not completely resist the urge to peek. He was large then, and now, the thought was overwhelming. 

“Enrico?” Anderson’s confident, predatory grin faded into concern. “You’re quiet.”

Enrico snapped back. “I’m sorry, you are, distracting.” He smiled, arching up into Anderson’s body and wrapping his arms around his neck. Eyes locked with Anderson’s, he met him with a heated kiss, his tongue dancing over the edges of Anderson’s lips. “Fine, enough denying it. If I’m going to rush into this I might as well go all in. I want you to fuck me.” He admitted, his voice heavy with lust and need. “I want to be yours.”

Anderson growled sharply and dove into Enrico with a deep kiss. Enrico let out a muffled cry as Anderson plunged his tongue into his mouth, devouring and claiming him. Large rough hands held his head tight, giving him no quarter, and all he could do was writhe under Anderson’s oppressive weight in sexual agony. A growing heat boiled in his belly, and his skin flushed hot with the tyrannical lust consuming him. The smell, taste and feel of Anderson’s body was driving him wild, making it hard to think straight.

The tips of his sharp killer fangs pricked his lips and he yelped, the drops of blood tainting the kiss with the taste of iron. 

“Are you okay?” Anderson pulled away briefly, his breath heavy and face concerned. His eyes were directed at the small drop of blood of Enrico’s lips. 

Enrico flicked his tongue over the wounded spot and smiled hungrily. “I’m wonderful.” His whole body was on fire with a desire he hadn’t felt in forever. “God you’re _outstanding_.”

Anderson was surprised but also relieved. “I knew we’d be good together.” 

It was Enrico who pulled Anderson back down, greedily demanding more. He loved the dangerous pointed teeth that threatened to nick him with every move.  
He whined when Anderson pulled away and tried to pull him back. “Wait.”

“Hold on.” Anderson said, running his fingers over his bared teeth. Enrico could see that his hands now had the razor-claws of his merman form and the teeth to match. “I uh, sometimes can’t hold my shift completely when I’m sexually excited.”

“Oh?” Enrico grabbed one of Anderson’s hands and played with the claws. “I don’t mind, if that’s what you’re worried about.” Kissing the tips of Anderson’s fingers, he ran his tongue daintily over the deadly edges of his mate’s claws. “I find you beautiful in any shape.”

Anderson shivered and made a low, pleased, moan. “I’d kill a hundred more men for you.” Sitting up he ripped the sheets off, revealing his entire naked form. Towering over Enrico’s prone body, Anderson’s sculpted body glistened in the light streaming into the room. A healthy coat of silver body hair coated his chest and trailed down right to his groin, where he sported an exceptional erection. Rock hard, his cock was girthy and long, an intimidating and grand feature that made Enrico excited and nervous. Sitting right below Enrico’s groin, Anderson’s massive cock rested on his belly. Hot and heavy, it dwarfed his lower body and went up past his belly button. 

“Holy shit.” Enrico cursed. “You’re enormous.”

Anderson glowed with pride. “Of course I am. You’re a lovely sight as well.”

Scooting down, Anderson positioned his face between Enrico’s legs and dug his nose into the man’s crotch, burying his face in the golden hairs. Enrico cried out and gripped the sheets. Anderson’s hot breath hit the base of his cock in a way that made him tremble. He could feel the larger man smelling him, taking in his musk.  
“You smell amazing.” Anderson gasped, dragging his fat tongue up Enrico’s hard shaft. “You’re a _feast_.”

“Alexander, oh my God, please.” Enrico begged, reaching down to hold onto Anderson’s messy head of hair. His partner purred and gripped the sides of Enrico’s waist, his large hands nearly completely encircling him and squeezing him hard. The sharp ends of his claws dug shallow into sensitive pale flesh of his waist and he cried out, body arching. 

Anderson held tight as he lapped at Enrico’s long hard cock. Every pass of the tongue sent bolts up Enrico’s body, reducing him to a moaning, gasping mess at the whims of his lover. Anderson sucked and licked the foreskin of Enrico’s cock, playing with the soft stretchy sheathing and running his tongue under the whole circumference. Holding the base in one hand, Anderson closed his eyes and placed his mouth over the moist pink head, closing his lips around the sweet mouthful and massaging, his tongue licking the beads of precum off and brushing against the vulnerable slit. Enrico was shaking, his moans spilling out in wanton abandon as Anderson adored his cock. He bucked his hips up into Anderson’s willing mouth and tightened his grip, twisting his fingers in Anderson’s hair and crying out his name. 

Breathing out loudly through his nose Anderson groaned and swallowed more of Enrico’s aching cock, taking him down almost to the hilt. He relished in the taste of salt and sweat, of the strong scent of arousal wafting into his nostrils. The bucks and jerks of his lover beneath him only made his blood hotter, and he looked up at his partner, his bright green eyes laden with desire and lust for the man beneath him. Taking care to not let his teeth nick the beautiful cock he was happily sucking, he moved up and down, slurping hard on the thick cock, running his tongue against and over every ridge and curve. He loved the smooth skin on his tongue, the feeling on Enrico’s cock twitching on his lips. Reaching down he cupped Enrico’s balls and rubbed them, his fingers dexterously massaging them as he increased his tempo. Mouth tight around Enrico’s cock, he voraciously sucked him, eager to feel him cum and swallow his load. Anderson wanted all of him.

Enrico was painfully close, his orgasm galloping upon him without any way to stop it. Throwing his head back on the pillow he screamed out in absolute agonized bliss, Anderson’s name rolling off his tongues in waves as his climax hit. He bucked hard into Anderson’s mouth, shooting thick ropes of cum into his awaiting maw. Anderson hummed in satisfaction, his hand still gently massaging Enrico’s shaft as he came, letting the taste of his partner coat his mouth and swallowing every drop. 

Panting and dizzy, Enrico went limp against the bed, his grip on Anderson’s hair going slack and his legs limp. Stars danced in front of his eyes as the residual shocks of his orgasm faded away. “Alexander.” He panted, mind struggling for words. “That was amazing.”

“Mmm.” Anderson pulled off and licked his lips, making sure he got every drop. “You’re gorgeous when you cum. Beautiful and loud, just what I like.” 

“How could anyone be quiet against that?” Enrico smiled weakly and rubbed the top of Anderson’s head. “That’s the best I’ve ever had.”

“Good. I’m not done yet though. I need to fuck you proper.” Anderson growled, and without warning flipped Enrico over onto his stomach. 

“Alexander! Easy wa-ahhhh.” Enrico started to protest but was interrupted by Anderson’s warm, wet tongue pressed up against his ass. “Ahhh, oh my God.” Enrico panted, squirming and clinging to the pillows beneath him. Sopping wet, Anderson’s tongue licked at his tight entrance, his hands gripping his butt cheeks and spreading him wide open. Enrico had been eaten out before, but this, Anderson was so ardent and hungry for it. Face pressed into Enrico’s ass, Anderson moaned against him, trailing his tongue around the puckered, shuddering ring of muscle. 

Enrico gasped sharply and jerked. He could feel the wet tongue slip into him, inching inside his most intimate of places. Knuckles white, he twisted against the bed, breath hitching and vision stuttering as Anderson’s tongue penetrated him, swells of pleasure rocking him and bringing him back to a full erection. The tongue swirled inside him, coaxing his body to relax and open for his amorous partner, and heat pooled in his belly, making him ache for more. Fully within him, Anderson lapped his inner walls, his hot tongue rubbing the sweet bundle of nerves within Enrico’s body. Hearing how Enrico cried out, Anderson rubbed his tongue roughly over the same spot, the tip of his tongue wet and slick as he pushed and prodded at Enrico’s sweet prostate. It was unbearable.

“God Alexander! Please!” Enrico cried out hoarsely. “I want you!”

“Not yet.” Anderson growled, rubbing his nose into the mess he had made of Enrico’s ass. “You’re not ready yet.”

“I have lube.” Enrico started to reach for his bedside table but Anderson shook his head.

“No need. This will sound strange, but my saliva, well.” He stopped, obviously feeling awkward despite how greedily he had been eating out his partner’s asshole a second ago.

“What? What are you talking about?”

“It serves as a lube, and, it contains compounds that “prepare” the body of anyone I’m mating with to take my size. It’s also a, form of aphrodisiac.” 

Enrico whipped his head around. “Are you drugging me?” His mind ran through the time they first kissed. “Wait, has this whole time just been because of your spit?”

“No!” Anderson got up and held his hands out in surrender. “It’s not like that! I swear! It doesn’t force anyone to have sex with me, it just aids the process. I should have told you, but it’s such a strange thing to humans. I’m sorry.”

Despite his arousal Enrico eyed his partner skeptically. “It IS a strange concept. How do I know that I’m making the decision to have sex with you, and not just because of your saliva?”

Anderson looked deflated and hurt. “I’m sorry. I don’t exactly know, but I don’t want to make you feel manipulated. We can stop.”

There was a painful lull in their activities. Enrico rolled over on his back to better look at Anderson, who was hanging awkwardly at his legs, unsure of what to do next. His body still ached with need, and he wondered if it was his own desires or the aphrodisiac. 

“I think the fact that I can question it means that I can believe you.” He reached out and drew Anderson to him. Holding his face he looked deep into Anderson’s eyes, looking for traces of insincerity. He found none.

“God you’re gorgeous.” Enrico whispered, and in that moment he knew that his desire for Anderson was in fact his own. The memories of this past week flooded him and ran through his head, all the moments of being with the strange orca, to waking up on the poacher’s boat, safe and warm and in Anderson’s arms. 

Anderson was waiting for Enrico to make the first move, if he was going to. 

“I’m sorry.” Tugging Anderson close, he kissed him deeply, tasting himself on Anderson’s tongue and moaning. A hand rubbed at the back of his head, bunching his hair in great big handfuls. Twisting his legs, Enrico rubbed them up against Anderson’s inner thigh, brushing his hard cock and making the man grunt and shiver.  
Enrico gasped for breath. “I want you. Did I ruin the mood?”

“Not at all.” Relieved, Anderson relaxed. Mouth open against Enrico’s neck, he let the sharp points of his teeth graze over and down his lover’s throat, goosebumps rising on his flesh. Crying out, Enrico dug his nails into Anderson’s broad back, drawing thin rivulets of blood. In response, the predator’s fangs bit down into the base of neck, right above his collarbone.

“Alex!” Enrico shouted, his back arching violently upwards. He felt a tongue lap at his wound, wiping up the rich scarlet. 

“Too much?” Anderson asked, blood staining his lips.

“No.” He was shaking, shocked at finding it so pleasurable. “I like it.”

Anderson flashed a hunter’s smile. “Good, but I’ll control myself, for now.”

In a painfully slow fashion, Anderson moved down Enrico’s body, kissing and sucking at his pert pink nipples, biting around each one just enough to leave faint bite marks. He nipped at his stomach, teasing the trembling exposed belly. Visions of orcas tearing open prey from their bellies flashed in front of Enrico’s eyes, but this was no killer. Kissing his bellybutton one last time, he finally sunk back down to Enrico’s ass, lifting him up so he could reach his still slick entrance. Tongue entering him again, Enrico moaned, melting back into the pillows. His eyes fluttered closed, body rolling in pleasure with Anderson’s affections. The magic of his tongue was true, he could feel himself loosening up, the resistance of his tight hole easing. 

Thick trails of saliva dripped from his ass as Anderson pulled back. He growled, biting hard on one of Enrico’s cheeks, relishing the yell he elicited. “Do you want me to fuck you? To take you as my mate?”

“Yes! Please!” Enrico begged breathlessly, his body needing to be filled. “I want to take all of you Alexander.”

“Oh Enrico.” Anderson gave him one last lingering lick then rose up, holding his cock and pressing the head to Enrico’s wet asshole. The fat, flushed red head kissed Enrico’s hole, rubbing into him and making the man whimper. 

A small thrust was all it took to pop the head of his cock into Enrico.

Enrico saw stars and cried out. Despite how the huge dick stretched him open, his body took him in without resistance. Groaning loudly, Anderson snarled and huffed and grabbed Enrico by his waist. 

“Fuck, you’re so tight.” Anderson slammed his hips into Enrico and roared, burying his cock to the hilt. “Wonderful! You’re so wonderful!” His hips slapped Enrico’s ass as he started to pound the smaller man with a primal lust. He held Enrico like a cocksheath, his hands holding his small waist in a vice-like hold as he shook the smaller man’s entire body with each powerful thrust. 

“Ahhh! Ahh! Fuck! Fuck! Alex!” Enrico cried out with every harsh thrust, helpless to stop the brutal assault on his insides. Anderson’s cock was deep inside his belly, deeper than he’d ever taken before. How was this possible? How was he taking this enormous cock so easily? It was amazing!

Without warning Anderson pulled out and flipped Enrico onto his back, grabbed his waist again and rawed into him without losing a beat. “You’re a mess, you’re so beautiful Enrico.” Anderson stared down into Enrico’s eyes with adoration, never breaking the rhythm of his thrusts. “You’re taking me so well, I can feel you squeezing me. I can see myself in you. You were made for me.”

“You’re so big, oh don’t stop.” Enrico gasped, weak under the intense gaze of his lover. Lifting his legs he draped them over Anderson’s shoulders, digging his heels into the man’s broad back, begging to be closer. His wish was granted, Anderson tugging him into him, his body pressing hard into Enrico’s ass. 

Anderson groaned and panted, running a hand over Enrico’s belly, pawing the impressive bulge his cock had created. “Beautiful.” He purred, slamming hard into Enrico and watching the man jump. “Look, you can see it too.”

“Holy fuck.” Enrico craned his neck down to see his belly full of Anderson’s cock. It was surreal, like a dream. 

“God damn Alexander, Alexander, ahh!” His pleasure rising, Enrico threw his head back onto the pillow and panted. Full of Anderson’s magnificent cock and stretched to the breaking point, he wouldn’t last much longer. “Don’t stop! Harder! I’m getting close, oh god Alex!”

Spurred on, Anderson huffed through his nose and lifted Enrico up, bending over and pounding him hard. His thrusts were fast and deep, his hips snapping against Enrico in a way that would no doubt leave bruises. 

“Enrico! Enrico!” Anderson’s eyes closed, his own climax rising. “I’m going to cum in you, I’m going to make you my mate!”

“Yes! Yes make me your mate!” Enrico yelled, and struck, arched violently upwards and let out a long shuddering cry. His hips bucking, he came without touching his cock, shooting his load up onto his belly. He clawed the bed, he struggled for air, he lost his sense of being and his world went white for a few blissful seconds. 

His thrusts became erratic and jerky, and soon Anderson let out a feral roar and released. He slammed into Enrico as he came, filling his lover with his hot seed in what seemed like an endless torrent. Enrico could only mewl helplessly, feeling his belly be pumped with load after load of cum. 

After his orgasm had finally subsided, Anderson deflated. Exhausted, he lowered Enrico back down and laid down next to him, his cock slipping out and letting a gush of cum pour out onto the sheets.

“Enrico.” Anderson whispered, bringing the man into his arms and burying his nose in his hair. The warmth of his body seeped into Enrico’s spent form and he curled into him. “I love you. I’ll take care of you, I’ll protect you, my mate.” 

“Alexander.” Enrico hugged his partner’s middle and rubbed his cheek into his chest. “I won’t let anyone hurt you either.” Leaning up he kissed Anderson and looked deeply into his eyes. “I love you too.”

“Oh.” Anderson’s eyes watered at the corners. “You do?”

“Stop that.” Enrico chided, reaching up to wipe the beginnings of the tears away. “Look at you, you fucked me raw and now you’re getting weepy.”

“Sorry, it’s just, I’ve been alone for so long. To hear you say you love me, it’s a lot.” He smiled and kissed each finger of Enrico’s hand. “I’m yours Enrico Maxwell.”  
“And I’m yours Alexander Anderson.” 

Bodies intertwined they kissed and held each other until both drifted off into a much-needed rest, never leaving each other’s arms.

* * *

Enrico roused first, his nether regions sticky and cold. For a moment he forgot what had happened, but the dull throb in his ass reminded him. 

“Alexander?” Anderson had never let him go, still holding him tight like a teddy bear as he slept. He turned, seeing Anderson still asleep and like the animal he took merman form from, with one eye open. It was a bit unnerving to be honest, and he wondered how much Anderson could register what was happening around him while he slept. Tentatively, he stroked the side of Anderson’s face, watching for a reaction. Nothing, except for a pleased rumble from his chest. 

Interesting. Still, he had an overwhelming need to use the restroom, so despite his fascination he began the difficult process of extricating himself. Even asleep, Anderson did not want to let go, catching Enrico and ensnaring him every time he seemed like he would escape. 

Damn his half-awareness. 

“Alex.” Enrico shook the man’s body. “Wake up, I need to get up.”

Anderson grumbled, but soon both eyes were open and he gave Enrico a sleepy smile. “Hmm? You going somewhere?”

“The bathroom. Let me up please.”

“Come right back.” Anderson yawned and released his partner, cuddling back into the pillows when Enrico left. “I don’t like sleeping alone.” 

“I can tell.” Enrico smirked, and went into the bathroom. Legs wobbly and his ass sore, he still managed to wash up and take care of his needs. As he stood in front of his mirror, he admired his completely disheveled and ravaged appearance. His hair was bunched up in tangles, ruffled thoroughly from the harsh fucking. Twisting his torso, he could spot the how bright red his ass was, and running a hand down his side, inspected the small pinpricks Anderson’s claws had left on his waist in addition to the small blossoming bruises already forming. Noticing a smudge of dried blood on his lips, he touched the small wound gingerly and winced. “It’s fine.” He told himself, picking up a hairbrush to begin his long hard fight with his hair. “Just well-earned battle wounds.”

He smirked at his reflection. His minor discomfort now was a small price to pay for such a fantastic lover. 

“You coming back?” Anderson cried out pitifully from the bedroom.

Enrico sighed and put the brush down. “A virile stud one second then clingy the next.” Still, Enrico opened the door and re-joined his partner. Anderson was expectantly waiting for him. 

“Come back to bed my darling.” Anderson caught Enrico’s arm and guided him under the covers with him. Tucking Enrico against his body, Anderson held him snugly, his hands brushing over his bare stomach. “It’s cold without you.”

“Cold? You live in the icy waters of the pacific.” Enrico smiled and melted into the hold. Perfection.

“Aye, but that’s a different type of cold.” He yawned and pulled the covers over them. “I’m talking about the lonely cold.”

“Ah. I see.” He snuggled the thick arms wrapped around him. “Well, don’t worry. I won’t be going anywhere. I have too many bills to pay here after all.”

“What? I’m not worth sticking around for?” Anderson retorted in mock hurt. 

“Oh, and you of course.” Twisting around he gave Anderson a peck on the chin. “Forgive me.”

“I forgive you. How could I not?”

Warm and cozy, Enrico felt himself drifting off once again, until his eyes caught the bright-red numbers on his digital bedside clock. 

“Fuck.” He sighed.

“What?” Anderson roused again, looking around. “What’s wrong?”

“The day is almost over. All I’ve done is sleep and fuck today.”

“What’s wrong with that? That’s the best way to live.” Anderson said sincerely, baffled when Enrico got out of his arms and stood up. “Do you have something to do?”

“No.” Enrico pulled on a pair of boxers. “But sleeping the day away never sat right with me. I have to do something.”

“It seems like you already did a lot today. I mean damn, it hasn’t even been a full day since you were kidnapped. You can just rest, there’s no shame in that. You’ve earned it.”

“Maybe.” He paused midway through pulling on a loose shirt. “I did take the day off tomorrow…”

“You did!” Anderson sat up excited. “That’s great! We can spend all day together! I’ll go catch you something else, do you like seal?” 

Enrico’s face twisted he but managed to force a smile for Anderson. “I’ve, never tried it. Let’s just finish off the fish you already got me first. Then we’ll talk about, other, sea-life. Speaking of which I’m going to make dinner, are you still hungry?” 

Anderson got out of bed. “I can always eat.” 

“Great, also, catch.” 

A pair of old shorts landed in Anderson’s hands. They were worn and the waistband loose. Enrico only wore them as last option pajamas or lounge wear.

“You have to wear something. See if those fit you.”

“Hmm.” Anderson lifted the pants up and eyed them. “Were these yours?”

“Yes.”

Anderson seemed pleased by that fact and started pulling them on. “A bit tight on the waist, but they smell like you. I like it.” He turned and twisted, testing them out. 

“I’ll go shopping tomorrow and get you an outfit that fits better.”

“Can I come?” 

“No.” Enrico replied flatly. “You’d be charged for indecency looking like that.”

“Ugh, prudes.” Anderson scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest. “Your society hasn’t changed much in that regard.” 

“When were you last with humans? I’ve been meaning to ask.” Enrico said while opening the door and leading Anderson out to the kitchen. They passed multiple photos and documents of Enrico’s achievements on the wall, all of which Anderson stopped to look at. 

“I can’t exactly remember the date.” Anderson ran a thumb over a framed photo of a younger Enrico with an orca fondly. “Last time I lived with a human, boats didn’t have motors and commercial whaling had just started.”

Enrico was amazed. “THAT long ago! Good God!”

The merman grinned. “Yeah, it’s a lot to adjust to. You can probably guess why I stopped living with people around that time.” He let his hand fall from the photo and joined up with Enrico, throwing an arm around his middle and tugging him close. “I like these pictures, you’re cute in them.”

“Oh these?” Enrico’s chest puffed out in pride. “Why thank you, as you can see I’ve spent all my life with the ocean. I’m very proud of it. Considering how many ocean mammals I’ve interacted with, now that I think of it, I’m surprised I’ve never met you before.” He chuckled.

“The ocean is a big place.” Anderson said quietly, his focus on the many pictures. They told of a life-long love affair with the ocean and its denizens. Eyes flicking to picture to picture, reading the illustrated passion laid out for him. A somber smiled crept onto Anderson features. “I’m glad that I found you now at least. You’re a special one.”

“Come on, I’m starving.” Enrico grabbed Anderson’s arm and led him off. “We have plenty of time for looking at past memories.”

“Alright.” 

In the kitchen, Anderson milled around fiddling with various gadgets while Enrico got his ingredients laid out. The cleaned lingcod from earlier had been put in the refrigerator, but Anderson had just laid it in there without a plate or anything under it, and Enrico had to instruct him on proper food storage. 

“What’s this?” Anderson pointed to a fancy espresso maker on the counter. Enrico finished tying his apron on and looked over. 

“That, is one way of making coffee.”

“Oh! Can you show me how to use it?” The multiple knobs and buttons fascinated the merman, and he messed with each one with incorrigible curiosity. 

“Tomorrow morning when I make breakfast, I’ll show you. For now come over here. You need to learn about modern ovens and stovetops for both of our sakes.” 

He didn’t like leaving the shiny new “toy” but Anderson listened and stood by Enrico. He listened and followed along intently as his human partner taught him the basics and most importantly, the DANGERS of the kitchen of present-day. There was more than a few times where Enrico had to expertly catch and stop Anderson’s hands from touching the gas range. He seemed intent on it. 

“This is the microwave.” Enrico showed him the sleek stainless steel microwave mounted to the side of the cooking range. 

“A WHAT?” 

“Actually. Let’s not cover that now. Don’t use that without asking me first…”

Anderson had already opened the door and was trying to stick his head inside. “The hell is this? Do you store food in here?”

“Don’t.” Enrico gently pulled him out. “It heats up food and drink but not like a stove does. It uses electromagnetic radiation instead of gas. So please don’t use it without asking me first.” 

“It uses what?” 

“It’s complicated.” Enrico wrung his hands together, dreading having to explain such concepts to Anderson. Still, his partner looked at him expectantly, obviously waiting for more information. So he sighed, and took a deep breath, and tried to give the best simple explanation he could.

How strange it was, that explaining phones and computers was easier than explain using radiation to cook.

“Okay.” Enrico held up his hands in surrender. “How about we just get to cooking?” 

“Yeah, I’ll just not mess with that thing for now.”

Heating butter in a pan, Enrico cut up and seasoned the fillets with a mixture of herbs and spices, rubbing the flavors into the slick, white flesh. Anderson watched (from a respectable distance, at Enrico’s request) happy to be a part of this domestic scene. 

“That smells great.” 

“I haven’t even put them in the pan yet.” Enrico washed his hands and waved them dry. “Can you drink alcohol? Actually, what is your diet? Are you an obligate carnivore?”

“Oh no, I can eat what you eat and drink your drinks. Why? You got alcohol?” Anderson asked, the anticipation clear in his tone.

Enrico kissed him on the head. “Yes, you like wine?” 

Grabbing him by the waist, Anderson pulled him close and hummed happily. “Of course. You look good in an apron.” A hand traveled down and indulged in a handful of Enrico’s rear. He trailed his teeth over the exposed portion on Enrico’s neck enticingly, but the object of his affections rebuked him. 

“Tempting but not now.”

“Hmpf, fine.” Anderson let him go. “I can wait.”

“Good boy.” 

Going into the fridge Enrico got out a bottle of white wine and a bunch of broccoli. He went ahead and tore the cork out, pouring him and his new beau a glass. 

“To us.” He clicked his glass against Anderson’s and took a sip. 

“Aye. To us.” Anderson’s eyes lit up as he tasted the beverage. “Mmmm! This is good! Way better than what I’m used to!”

“So wine is better now than in the past? That’s a relief to know.” Enrico set his glass down and washed and chopped up the vegetable. 

“Oh yeah, much more flavor. I missed this.” Taking long, savoring sips he shuddered in appreciation. “As nice as it is you can’t really make alcohol or cook in the ocean. I’ll never stop loving human cuisine. Your kind does wonders with food.”

“The magic of fire and salt.” Enrico set the fillets to cook, the fish flesh sizzling the second it hit the heated butter, juices sputtering vociferously in the polished steel pan. Plumes of the scent of cooking fish filled the kitchen, wafting through the room the enchanting promise of a delicious meal to come. “Out of curiosity, has there been a specific human-meal you’ve been wanting again?” Enrico asked, turning the oven on low and slicing up a loaf of crusty sourdough bread. 

“Liquor.” Anderson poured himself another glass of wine and drank it up. “I haven’t had a good whiskey in forever. Oh, and steak. Seals and fish are good, but a big slab of beef is positively decadent. I don’t know how, but your cows are just perfect for eating.”

“That is the result of years and years of selective breeding and stuffing them full of corn and growth hormones.” Enrico set the bread in the oven in a covered dish to warm up then started sautéing the broccoli in another pan. “It’s not a pretty process.”

“Hmm.” Anderson leaned back and swirled his wine. “Well, they taste good.”

“Once we get you some clothes I’ll take you shopping. You haven’t been in a modern grocery store either have you?”

“Nope.”

Enrico smirked. “It’s going to be completely overwhelming for you then. You won’t even know what 90% of the items are anymore.”

“You all have THAT much food? How are you so thin then?”

“Thin?” Surprised, Enrico pinched the fleshiest part of his hips. “You think I’m thin?”

“Aye? Of course you are, it’s worrying. How do you stay warm in the cold water without more bulk? I’m a little worried about you.”

“I’m flattered, and here I was worried I had gained too much weight lately.”

Anderson huffed in frustration. “I’m serious.”

“Please, I’m fine.” Enrico flipped the fish over. “I think our ideas of health are different.”

Getting up, Anderson came up behind Enrico and nuzzled into his shoulder, hands around his partner’s waist. “What if there’s a lean time and there’s no food?”

Enrico rolled his eyes. “We don’t ever run out of food. We have TOO MUCH food.” 

“Impossible.” 

“It’s true. You’ll see. Here.” He turned and offered Anderson a forkful of fish. “Taste this please.”

Giving the morsel a sniff, Anderson’s eyes lit up and he snatched the offered taste up greedily. “Oh my God.”

“You like it?”

Tears pricked the edges of Anderson’s eyes and he sniffed. “It’s so good.” He cried. “I’ve missed human cuisine SO MUCH.”

Enrico bristled with pride. He could get used to all the praise. “Go take a seat then, I’ll make up a plate for us.” 

Anderson practically flew back to the island and sat, waiting expectantly for his food. After a minute, Enrico carried two plates over and set one in front of Anderson. 

“Voila, your first human-cooked dinner in over a century.” 

Anderson was virtually glowing with glee. Knife and fork in hand he dug right in, crooning with pleasure at the flavors. Enrico took great joy in watching the reactions. 

The food was good, a simple but tried and true mixture of seasonings, nothing that had ever elicited such a response before though. 

Uncovering the bread, Enrico spread a pad of butter over the steaming slice and handed it to Anderson. “Don’t forget this.”

“Yessssss.” Anderson grinned and took the bread and tore at it with his teeth. “Bread is so good, I’ve missed bread.” 

“Eat as much as you like.” 

“I will.” Anderson said, and took three more slices.”

The dinner was a cozy and cheerful affair. Anderson could not stop talking about the meal and all the food he hoped to eat in the future, while Enrico listened and took mental notes on what to feed him next. He doubted Anderson would be that hard to please. 

The bottle of wine was finished by the time the meal was over, with Anderson drinking up the bulk of it but Enrico had his fair share, making him comfortably tipsy. 

“Let’s go outside.” Enrico pulled Anderson up and towards the backdoor. “The coast is beautiful at night.” 

Giddily the two men stumbled onto the back porch. The cool salty breeze washed over their bodies and swept up Enrico’s long locks in a strong gust. 

“Look at this sky.” Enrico hung over his railing and looked up, staring into the dark abyss alighted by twinkling far-off stars and the warm glow of a full moon. “I guess it’s nothing to you though.” He flipped around, his back against the rail. “I remember how beautiful the sky was at sea, far away from the light pollution of the city.”

“The view is beautiful here too.” Anderson smiled, leaning against the railing with Enrico and gazing lovingly at him. “This has been the best day I’ve had in a long time.” 

Enrico shuffled over and cuddled up to his large, warm partner, holding his hand and threading their fingers together. The way Anderson’s hands dwarfed his own soothed him, his strength a source of comfort. He looked up and adored how the moonlight cast his lover in a silvery glow, how his eyes stared back down at him with such a powerful reverence. He didn’t have to ask, and both men came together to kiss, lips locking together while the waves crashed below them and the wind tickled their skin. 

“I have to ask.” Enrico started, pulling away and arms draped around Anderson’s neck.

“Aye? What is it?”

“What’s your plan for us? I know the pod you live with now, they migrate all over the world.” Enrico chewed on his lower lip, chest tense with the thought of this man leaving. “I know you consider me your mate, but is this short-term? Long-term? How will you balance your life in the ocean with me?”

“Ah.” Anderson looked away, his brow furrowed. Letting out a heavy exhale, he faced Enrico with a reassuring smile. “I understand. No, I know the creatures I take my form from do not form long-lasting romantic attachments, but I _do_.” He took Enrico’s face in his hands and ran his lips down his brow in a soft series of kisses, the faint trill of a whale’s song emanating from his throat. “You are not a short-term fling to me. I do not know whether or not I’ll stay when the others move on, the urge to migrate is hard to resist, but no matter what, I’ll come back. I promise I won’t leave you.”

The answer was bittersweet, but Enrico understood. How could he deny a merman the sea? He would be as cruel as the very people he had been fighting against his whole life. 

“I understand. Then I’ll savor the time we do have together.”

“We’ll have LOTS of time together!”

Enrico let out a cry of delight when he was lifted into the air by his partner. “I’m not going anywhere anytime soon!” Anderson swung Enrico up into his arms and spun him around, laughing with glee. “I’m going to be in your hair for a long time!” 

“Alexander!” Laughing, Enrico kicked his legs in the air and hung onto Anderson for dear life. “Don’t drop me now!”

“Wouldn’t dream of it!” Nuzzling their foreheads together, Anderson kissed and nibbled Enrico’s lips, the taste of wine heavy on his skin. 

“I love you.” He whispered, his voice soft but deep, like a calm ocean. Drawn into him, Enrico nestled into his neck and sighed happily. 

“I love you too.”

In less than 24 hours of knowing Alexander Anderson as a man, Enrico had accepted him as his lover. Pushing his doubts and anxieties aside, he basked in his partner’s presence as they both enjoyed the stars. 

A brand new way of life awaited them tomorrow and all the days after.


End file.
